The World Bank has imposed a 30-month debarment on two Nigerian companies, Viva Atlantic Limited and Technology House Limited, along with their Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Norman Didam, due to alleged corrupt practices.
The 30-month debarment bars Viva Atlantic Limited, Technology House Limited, and Didam from participating in World Bank Group-financed projects and operations.
A statement by the Washington-based bank said the sanction follows findings of fraudulent, collusive, and corrupt practices connected to the National Social Safety Nets Project (NSSNP) in Nigeria.
The statement reads: “The World Bank Group today announced the 30-month debarment of two Nigeria-based companies, Viva Atlantic Limited and Technology House Limited, and their Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Mr Norman Bwuruk Didam.
“The debarment is in connection with alleged fraudulent, collusive, and corrupt practices as part of the National Social Safety Nets Project in Nigeria.”
The NSSNP was established to enhance Nigeria’s social safety net systems by providing targeted financial transfers to poor and vulnerable households.
However, the bank said investigations revealed serious breaches of its Anti-Corruption Framework in the 2018 procurement and subsequent contract processes involving Viva Atlantic Limited, Technology House Limited, and Didam.
According to the World Bank, the companies and Didam misrepresented a conflict of interest in their Letter of Bids and improperly accessed confidential tender information from public officials, constituting fraudulent and collusive practices.
Also, Viva Atlantic Limited and Didam were said to have falsified the company’s experience records and submitted forged manufacturer’s authorisation letters. They also provided inducements to public officials involved in the project, which qualified as corrupt practices.
The bank said these violations directly contravened the principles outlined in the World Bank’s Anticorruption Framework, prompting the sanctions.
The statement reads: “According to the facts of the case and the general principles of the World Bank’s Anticorruption Framework, in connection with a 2018 procurement and subsequent contract, Viva Atlantic Limited, Technology House Limited, and Mr Didam misrepresented a conflict of interest in the companies’ Letter of Bids and received confidential tender information from public officials, which constituted fraudulent and collusive practices, respectively.
“Further, Viva Atlantic Limited and Mr Didam misrepresented Viva Atlantic Limited’s experience and submitted falsified manufacturer’s authorisation letters, as well as offered and provided things of value to project public officials. These actions were fraudulent and corrupt practices, respectively.”
As part of settlement agreements with the World Bank, the statement said all three parties acknowledged their culpability and agreed to stringent integrity compliance conditions as a prerequisite for being released from debarment.
