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Business News of Wednesday, 18 August 2021

Source: punchng.com

AfDB debars Nigerian firm over fraud allegations

The African Development Bank Group The African Development Bank Group

The African Development Bank Group, on Tuesday, announced the 18-month debarment of Sargittarius Nigeria Limited and its affiliates, including Sargittarius Henan Water Conservancy Engineering Limited, with effect from July 28, 2021.

Sargittarius Nigeria Limited is a limited liability company registered in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

A statement from the AfDB said an investigation conducted by the bank’s Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption established that Sargittarius Nigeria Limited engaged in fraudulent practices during tenders for the construction of water infrastructure in Ibadan, under the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project in Nigeria.

According to the AfDB, the debarment renders Sargittarius Nigeria Limited and its affiliates ineligible to participate in the bank’s group-financed projects during the debarment period.

It added that the debarment qualified for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions, including the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank Group.

It said at the expiry of the debarment period, Sargittarius Nigeria Limited would only be eligible to resume participation in AfDB-financed projects on the condition that it implements an integrity compliance program consistent with the bank’s guidelines.

The Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project is aimed at improving access to safe water supply and sanitation services in the cities of Ibadan and Jalingo, in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The project is co-financed by the African Development Fund, an entity of the African Development Bank Group, and the Nigerian government.