A friend of mine who works at a contracting company said he faced difficulty in one of the ministries to obtain a permit for the project.

So he was offered an amount in exchange for processing the paperwork, and the company manager approved it. Is it permissible to give my friend a gratuity?

This is a bribe. This is a bribe that is not permissible for him nor for his friend, and he must first repent to Allah, the Blessed and Exalted.

Then he must return the money he took.

And he should not do this act again. Likewise, if there is someone in the ministry who also received something,

he should report it, because this is corruption in the country.

It is never permissible to remain silent about it, and the Prophet ﷺ cursed the one who gives a bribe and the one who takes it.

So this is absolutely not allowed.