World Bank Sanctions Two Nigerian Companies and CEO for Alleged Fraud

The World Bank has banned two Nigerian firms, Viva Atlantic Limited and Technology House Limited, as well as their CEO and managing director, Norman Didam, for 30 months due to suspected corruption.

Viva Atlantic Limited, Technology House Limited, and Didam are prohibited from taking part in World Bank Group-financed projects and activities for a period of 30 months.

The Washington-based bank stated in a statement that the suspension comes after it was discovered that the National Social Safety Nets Project (NSSNP) in Nigeria was involved in corrupt, collusive, and fraudulent activities.

According to the statement: “Today, the World Bank Group announced that two Nigerian firms, Viva Atlantic Limited and Technology House Limited, as well as their managing director and chief executive officer, Mr. Norman Bwuruk Didam, had been debarred for 30 months.

“The debarment relates to alleged collusive, fraudulent, and corrupt practices as part of Nigeria’s National Social Safety Nets Project.”

The NSSNP was created to improve Nigeria’s social safety net services by giving vulnerable and impoverished households targeted financial transfers.

However, the bank stated that inquiries into the 2018 procurement and following contract procedures involving Didam, Viva Atlantic Limited, and Technology House Limited showed significant violations of its Anti-Corruption Framework.

The World Bank claims that the firms and Didam engaged in fraudulent and collusive acts by inappropriately accessing private tender information from public authorities and misrepresenting a conflict of interest in their Letter of Bids.

Additionally, it was alleged that Didam and Viva Atlantic Limited submitted fake manufacturer’s authorization letters and fabricated the company’s experience records. Additionally, they engaged in fraudulent tactics by offering incentives to public officials working on the project.

The sanctions, according to the bank, were a direct result of these violations of the World Bank’s Anticorruption Framework.

“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 received confidential tender information from public officials and misrepresented a conflict of interest in their Letter of Bids, which constituted collusive practices and fraudulent practices, respectively,” the statement reads.

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Additionally, Viva Atlantic Limited and Mr. Didam filed forged manufacturer’s authorization letters, offered and supplied valuable items to project public officials, and misrepresented Viva Atlantic Limited’s experience. These were, respectively, dishonest and corrupt practices.

According to the statement, as part of settlement agreements with the World Bank, all three parties admitted their fault and committed to strict integrity compliance requirements before being exempted from debarment.