NAIROBI, Kenya – East Africa has emerged as the continent’s hotspot for procurement fraud and other financial malpractices in projects funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB), a new report shows.
According to the lender’s Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption (PIAC), the region accounted for 33 per cent of all complaints filed in 2024 — the highest across Africa.
Out of 59 reported cases linked to AfDB-funded projects, about 19 originated from East Africa.
The allegations centred on sanctionable practices such as fraud, corruption, collusion, and coercion.
West Africa followed closely, contributing 29 per cent of the complaints, while North, Central, and Southern Africa recorded much lower figures.
“This trend has been consistent over the years,” PIAC noted in its report, adding that most of the allegations stem from public sector investment projects.
Energy Sector Most Affected
The energy sector was flagged as the most vulnerable, attracting the highest number of complaints, followed by the water and sanitation sector.
Road infrastructure projects came third, while social infrastructure, finance, and trade tied in fourth place.
PIAC explained that only credible allegations made it to full investigation, after a rigorous filtering process at the intake level.
“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 office said, noting that many of these came from individuals who had fallen victim to scams.
Rising Trend Since 2022
The findings underscore a worrying surge in malpractice reports within AfDB operations.
Complaints rose from 36 in 2022 to 82 in 2023 — a 127 per cent increase — and further to 98 in 2024, marking a 19.5 per cent rise year-on-year.
In tandem, PIAC’s counter-advisory services recorded a 68 per cent increase in activity last year.
These services, the bank said, play a dual role — preventing corruption before it occurs and embedding integrity considerations in project lifecycles.
The report highlights persistent vulnerabilities in key development sectors and raises concerns about the impact of fraud and corruption on Africa’s infrastructure growth.
