Seven Nigerian firms and individuals have been sanctioned by the World Bank over alleged corruption during the bank’s 2022 fiscal year.
The bank disclosed this in its Sanctions System Annual Report for the latest fiscal Year 2022, which covered July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.
Three Nigerians and four Nigerian companies who were found guilty of corruption of necessary investigations by the Washington-based bank made the list.
Out of the four companies, two were sanctioned by the African Development Bank, (AfDB), but recognised by other multilateral organisations, including the World Bank under the cross-debarment policy.
One Salihu Tijjani was blacklisted for three years and two months, while Isah Kantigi was blacklisted for five years. Another Nigerian, Amin Moussalli, was blacklisted for two years and 10 months, with additional conditional non-debarment (which means the individual is eligible to participate in the bank’s operations) for one year and six months.
The two companies blacklisted by the World Bank were AIM Consultants Limited, for two years and two months, and SoftTech IT Solutions and Services Ltd for four years and two months. The other two firms blacklisted by AfDB, but recognised by the World Bank under the cross-debarment policy, were Sargittarius Nigeria Limited and Sargittarius Henan Water Conservancy Engineering Ltd for two years and six months each.
Meanwhile, two Nigerians and two firms had been removed from the blacklist after complying with the bank’s conditions. The Nigerians were Elie Abou-Ghazaleh and Fadi Abou-Ghazaleh, while the firms were Abou Ghazaleh Contracting Nigeria Ltd. and Quick Projects Ltd.
In his remark on the report, the World Bank Group President, David Malpass, said that Bank efforts in financing projects could be affected by corruption. In total, he said that the Bank debarred or otherwise sanctioned 35 firms and individuals.
Twenty-two companies are now eligible to again participate in projects financed by the Bank, after meeting up its conditions.
