(AfDB) - The African Development Bank Group on 3 June 2019, announces the debarment of Qualitrends Global Solutions Nigeria Limited, a construction company registered in Nigeria, for a period of 36 months.

An investigation conducted by the Bank’s Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption established that Qualitrends Global Solutions Nigeria Limited engaged in numerous acts of fraud in bidding for a construction contract under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase One in Nigeria (ATASP-1). While participating in a tender for the conduct of construction of social infrastructure in Niger State of Nigeria, the company misrepresented its experience in conducting such construction contracts and submitted a false bid security.

The debarment renders the company ineligible to participate in Bank-financed projects during the debarment period. The debarment qualifies for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks under the Agreement for Mutual Recognition 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.

ATASP-1 is financed under the African Development Fund, an entity of the African Development Bank Group.

About the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption

The Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption of the African Development Bank Group is responsible for preventing, deterring and investigating allegations of corruption, fraud and other sanctionable practices in Bank Group-financed operations. For more information visit: https://www.afdb.org/en/about-us/organisational-structure/integrity-and-anti-corruption/. The investigation by the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption of the African Development Bank was conducted by Ms. Esther Mhone and Mr. Justin Maenje. African Development Bank staff and the general public can use secured hotlines to report sanctionable practices within the Bank or operations financed by the Bank Group. Mail correspondence should be marked “CONFIDENTIAL” and sent to:

African Development Bank

Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption

Immeuble du Centre de commerce International d’Abidjan CCIA

Secured telephone: +1 (770) 776-5658     

Secure email server: investigations@iacd-afdb.org