Several Chinese companies in Nigeria have been blacklisted by the World Bank for fraud and corruption.
The companies include China Railway Construction (International) Nigeria Company Limited, China Railway 18th Bureau Nigeria Engineering Company Limited, CCECC Nigeria Lekki (FTA) Company Limited, CCECC Nigeria Railway Company Limited, CRCC Petroleum & Gas Company Limited, and CCECC Nigeria Company Limited, according to Premium Times.
All the companies are active in Nigeria, with ongoing or completed contracts for the construction of railways, highways, housing estates, airport terminals, municipal engineering, water resource, and hydro-power engineering projects for federal and state governments.
The World Bank announcement on its website accused the companies and several others around the world of violating the bank’s fraud and corruption policy.
Consequently, the six companies were debarred and declared ineligible to be awarded any World Bank-financed contracts for at least a year, between June 4, 2019 and March 3, 2020.
One of the companies, China Railway Construction (International) Nigeria Company Limited, is currently involved in the construction of the Abuja-Kaduna railway track. The same company is involved in the development of the Lagos-Ibadan rail line, according to the report.
Another company, China Railway 18th Bureau Nigeria Engineering Company Limited along with China Railway Construction Electrification Bureau Group Company Limited, was awarded the contract for the construction, housing and transportation Ministry of Railways to the Kano City Light Rail.
The report names several other companies sanctioned by the World Bank including CCECC Nigeria Lekki FTA Company Limited and CCECC Nigeria Railway Company Limited.
There has been no reaction by the companies to the World Bank banning.