World Bank blacklists Nigerian, Lebanese firms for fraud

Some Nigerian contracting firms and individuals indicted for fraud and corruption in 2020 have been blacklisted by the World Bank.

The individuals and companies were blacklisted alongside six Lebanese firms after the Bank Group’s Sanctions Board indicted them of various “fraudulent and collusive practices” considered infractions to established regulations and breaches of its contract and consultancy procedures.

Consequently, the affected individuals and companies would be ineligible to participate in the award of any World Bank-financed contracts or consultancy services by any of the affiliated multilateral development banks (MDBs) between December 18, 2020 March 17, 2025.

The affected companies include Abou Ghazaleh Contracting Nigeria Limited; A.G. Vision Mining Limited; Infratech Construction Nigeria Limited; Top Field Construction Nigeria Limited; Verdun Construction Nigeria Limited; Lugio Global Construction Services Limited and A.G. Vision Construction Nigeria Limited.

The list of the affected individuals who are also the controlled affiliates of the indicted companies. include Elie Abou Ghazaleh, the Managing Director and Fadi Abou Ghazaleh, Executive Director of the Lebanese company.

Details of the indictment are contained in the list of debarred individuals and companies published by the World Bank on its website.

The companies are subsidiaries of Abou Ghazaleh Group incorporated in 2002 to handle construction and mining services in various parts of the country.

Incidentally, A.G. Vision Mining incorporated in 2007 is a contracting firm that has been involved in the execution of many building constructions, water dams, water purification stations, irrigation and soil erosion projects in various parts of Nigeria, including Kogi, Adamawa, Cross River, Benue, Anambra, Abia, Imo, and Katsina.

Other affected companies include Infratech Construction Nigeria Limited, involved in the mining of coal and lignite; Top Field Construction Nigeria Limited. incorporated in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State and registered on June 10, 2015.

Also some of the affiliate dcompanies of the same business address, Plot 348 J. C. Obande Close, Utako District, Abuja, are Verdun Construction Nigeria Limited; Lugio Global Construction Services Limited, incorporated in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State and registered on June 10, 2015, as well as A.G. Vision Construction Nigeria Limited.

• Daily Sun report.