The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has debarred Sagittarius Nigeria Limited for 18 months over fraudulent practices.
The AfDB, in a statement on Tuesday, August 17, 2021, says the debarment also affected the firm’s affiliate, Sagittarius Henan Water Conservancy Engineering Limited, and took effect from 28 July 202.
Sagittarius, a limited liability company registered in Nigeria, was found by the AfDB to have engaged in fraudulent practices during tenders for the construction of water infrastructure in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria, under the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Improvement Project in Nigeria.
The firm would, at the expiry of the debarment period, only be eligible to resume participation in African Development Bank Group-financed projects “on condition that it implements an integrity compliance program consistent with the Bank’s guidelines.”
The statement read, “The debarment renders Sagittarius Nigeria Limited and its affiliates ineligible to participate in Bank Group-financed projects during the debarment period. Additionally, the debarment qualifies 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.”
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 Government of Nigeria.