The World Bank has banned PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) firms in Kenya, Rwanda, and Mauritius from participating in its projects for 21 months after uncovering serious misconduct in a regional energy project.
In a statement issued on 18 March 2026, the Bank said the three firms were involved in collusion and fraud linked to consultancy contracts under the Eastern Africa Power Integration Program, particularly the Ethiopian Electricity Highway Project. The project is designed to strengthen Kenya’s electricity supply while allowing Ethiopia to earn from power exports.
According to investigators, the firms obtained confidential procurement information in 2019 to gain an unfair advantage during the bidding process. They were also found to have misrepresented the credentials and availability of key experts and failed to fully disclose subcontractors involved in the work.
The World Bank said these actions violated its procurement rules and undermined fair competition.
As a result, the three PwC entities—and any companies under their control—are now barred from taking part in World Bank-funded activities for the duration of the sanction.
The penalty follows a negotiated settlement in which the firms admitted wrongdoing. The Bank noted that their cooperation during the investigation, along with steps taken to strengthen internal controls and compliance systems, helped reduce the length of the ban.
Under the agreement, the firms must implement strict integrity and compliance measures before they can be considered for future World Bank projects.
While PwC Africa, the regional oversight body, was not directly sanctioned, it was part of the settlement to ensure closer supervision of its member firms going forward.
