In a significant move to combat corruption and promote accountability, the World Bank has sanctioned Viva Atlantic, Technology House, and its Chief Executive Officer, Norman Didam. The sanctions stem from allegations of fraudulent practices and collusion with Nigerian government officials, highlighting the World Bank’s efforts to tackle global corruption and ensure transparency in its operations.

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 fraudulent, collusive, and corrupt practices as part of the National Social Safety Nets Project in Nigeria.

The project aimed to provide access to targeted transfers to poor and vulnerable households under Nigeria’s expanded national social safety nets system.

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.

The debarment precludes the two companies and Mr. Didam from participating in Bank Group-financed projects and operations. As part of their settlement agreements, the companies and Mr. Didam have acknowledged culpability and agree to meet specified integrity compliance conditions as a requirement for release from debarment.

Among other things, Mr. Didam must complete individual corporate ethics training, and the two companies must enhance their internal integrity compliance policies and implement corporate ethics training programs, all of which must reflect the relevant principles set out in the Bank Group Integrity Compliance Guidelines.

The companies also commit to continue to fully cooperate with the Bank Group Integrity Vice Presidency. The settlement agreements feature reduced debarment periods due to the companies’ and Mr Didam’s cooperation with the Bank Group’s investigation, voluntary corrective actions, voluntary restraint from participating in Bank Group tenders, and the passage of time.

The debarments of Mr. Didam, Viva Atlantic Limited, and Technology House Limited qualify for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions that was signed on April 9, 2010.