East Africa flagged as hotspot for procurement fraud in AfDB-funded projects
East Africa accounted for 33 per cent of all allegations, or just about 19 cases, the highest among all regions, followed by West Africa at 29 per cent.
East Africa is the epicentre of procurement fraud and other sanctionable practices in African Development Bank (AfDB) funded projects, according to a recent report.
The revelations by the lender’s office of integrity and anti-corruption (PIAC) show that a total of 59 complaints were filed in 2024.
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The complaints related to sanctionable practices such as fraud, corruption, collusion and coercion.
Notably, East Africa accounted for 33 per cent of all allegations, or just about 19 cases, the highest among all regions, followed by West Africa at 29 per cent.
Other regions, North, Central and Southern Africa, contributed less than half of West Africa’s figures.
“This trend has been consistent over the years,” the report notes.
A considerable proportion of these allegations is linked to public sector investment projects.
Within the space, the energy sector stands out as the segment with the highest number of complaints.
The water and sanitation sector ranks second, followed closely by the road infrastructure sector.
Social infrastructure, finance, and trade sectors share fourth position, while other sectors trail significantly behind.
According to the Office, the figures reflect the filtering work operated at the intake level, where only credible allegations proceeded to full investigation.
The allegations are categorised as staff misconduct and sanctionable practice.
“In addition to the allegations related to staff misconduct and sanctionable practices, PIAC received 52 complaints that were not within the Bank’s mandate,” the report adds.
These complaints were mainly from individuals who had fallen victim to scams.
Notably, since 2022, the number of complaints has increased, particularly for sanctionable practice allegations.
From 36 complaints in 2022, PIAC received 82 complaints in 2023, marking an increase of approximately 127.78 per cent.
In 2024, the number of complaints further rose to 98, representing an increase of about 19.51 per cent from the previous year.
Consequently, PIAC’s counter advisory services witnessed significant growth in the year under review, with a 68 per cent increase in activity.
Advisory services serve as both a preventive mechanism and an enabler of strategic decision-making, ensuring that integrity considerations are embedded throughout project lifecycles.
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