The third annual Africa investor investment awards were officially announced last week in Nairobi, Kenya with the announcement of the shortlisted companies. The awards, which are designed to reward excellence in a range of disciplines across the investment spectrum in Africa, are to be presented on November 9th at the prestigious Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

The awards follow successful ceremonies in 2004 and 2005 in Dakar, Senegal and Johannesburg, South Africa, and continue to demonstrate Africa investor's commitment to rewarding effective and sustainable investment into Africa.

The AI awards are the only pan African awards that recognise and reward exceptional business practices, economic achievements and investments across the continent. Apart from the success of a business, the awards emphasize responsibility towards the society.

Speaking at the launch, Allan Kamau, editor of Africa investor said; "It is gratifying to see an increase in entries to the awards this year many of which of a very high standard. It just goes to how an initiative like this can help to raise the bar in business performance across the continent as companies implement ever more ambitious programmes to stay ahead of their peers "

Also speaking at the launch, Celtel Kenya Managing Director Gerhard May, one of the key sponsors said his organization is proud to be associated with the awards which play a big role in selling Africa to investors in the developed nations.

"For a long time, the financial relationship between Africa and the rich nations has been skewed more towards aid than investment. This is as a result of the image painted of an Africa that is war torn, famine ravaged and disease ridden. These awards however shift the emphasis from aid to investment by highlighting success stories which send the message that Africa is as good a place as any, if not better, to invest in," said May.

Previous winners of the awards include Oracle, Café Direct, Microsoft, Nestle and Diageo. The shortlisted nominees in each category accompany this press release. They represent a diverse group of Pan-African and international companies and demonstrate the breadth of interest and investment across Africa.

The Africa investor Awards are supported by The Coca-Cola Company, Celtel, Standard Bank, PetroSA, African Finance Systems and Management, Guarantee Trust Bank PLC, africapractice and African Investment Advisory.

Judges for the awards include Dr Bamanga Tukur, Executive President Africa Business Roundtable and Chairman, NEPAD Business Group, Dr Ken Kwaku, Ms Arunmah Oteh, Treasurer, African Development Bank Group, Amir Dossal, Executive Director, United nations Fund for International Partnerships, Dr William Kalema- Chairman of the board of the Uganda Investment Authority and Mr Joe Wanjui, Chairman UAP Insurance.

The Africa investor Awards are being held alongside the Africa investor Projects Summit and the Africa investor Business Classic in partnership with Safaricom.

Shortlisted Companies are:

Best Initiative in Support of the Millennium Development Goals

Barclays Bank of Ghana - Microbanking

BAT Nigeria Foundation - Sustainable Environmental Preservation Initiative

Coca Cola Africa - Uganda water / solar light project

Marathon Oil - Bioko Island Malaria Control Project

Schlumberger Nigeria Ltd - Global Citizenship Initiatives

UNDP Kenya - Growing Sustainable Business

Smart Regulation

Board of Investment Mauritius - Business Facilitation Act

International Finance Corporation - Doing Business 2007 Report

Kenya Flower Council - Self Regulation in the Flower Industry

World Bank - Presidential Investors' Advisors Councils

Investment Climate Facility

Infrastructure Deal of the Year

GE Energy - Support to Nigeria's Long Term Domestic Energy & Economic Security

PesaPoint - Independent ATM Network

PriceWaterhouseCoopers Kenya - Joint Concession of Kenya and Uganda Railways

Development Bank of South Africa - Gautrain

Standard Bank - TRAC Refinancing

Standard Chartered Bank - Kwale Mineral Sands

Bank of the Year

Barclays Kenya Ltd

Guaranty Trust Bank

Standard Bank

United Bank for Africa plc

Zenith Bank

Venture Capital Deal of the Year

Africap - Equity Bank

Africap - First Allied Loans and Savings

Aureos East Africa - Porini Safari Camps

EMP Africa - Spencon

Financial Consultancy of the Year

East African Development Bank - Standard Chartered Bank Kenya Currency Swap

Loita Capital Partners

Norton Rose - Legal and Capital Restructuring of ATI

PricewaterhouseCoopers Kenya

Standard Bank, Corporate and Investment Banking - Celtel Kenya Ltd and Celtel Tanzania Ltd

Institutional Investor of the Year

Futuregrowth Asset Management Pty Ltd

Investec Asset Management

Old Mutual Asset Management

South Africa's Public Investment Commission (PIC)

Investment Promotion Agency of the Year

Gauteng Economic Development Agency

International Marketing Council of South Africa

Nigerian South African Chamber of Commerce

Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA)

Sustainable Investment in Africa award

BHP Billiton - Mozal

IPS Kenya - Frigoken

Ugarose Ltd

Best Initiative in Support of SME Development

Accenture South Africa

Anglo American - Anglo Zimele

Kenya Commercial Bank

Shell Foundation - GroFin

World Bank - International Development Association (IDA) and International Finance

Corporation (IFC) Africa Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Program

Business Report Award

Standard Bank

Nedbank Enterprise Governance and Compliance

Unilever

Volkswagen

Employer of the Year

Accenture South Africa

Barclays Africa

Celtel

Kenya Commercial Bank

Timetech Ghana

Businesswoman of the Year

Olubunmi Afolabi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Bi-TraxAxxent Company, Nigeria

Mamphele Ramphele, Executive Chairperson, Circle Capital Ventures

Futhi Mtoba, Chairman, Deloitte, South Africa

Nasdim Devji, Managing Director, Diamond Trust Bank, Kenya

Leticia Osafo-Addo, Managing Director, Spices Ltd, Ghana

Cecilia Ibru, Managing Director, Oceanic Bank

African Business Leader

Vimal Shah, CEO, Bidco Oil

Gerald Mahinda, Managing Director, East African Breweries Ltd

Phuthuma Nhleko, CEO, MTN

Papi Molotsane, CEO, Telkom

Tony Elumelu, CEO, United Bank for Africa

Jim Ovia, CEO, Zenith Bank

International Business Leader

Che Abdul Daim Zainnudin, Founder and President, ICB Banking Group

Sarmad Zok, CEO, Kingdom Holdings

Lakshami Mittal, CEO, Mittal Steel

Ratan Tata, Tata Steel

Nevil Isdell, CEO, Coca Cola

Other Relevant Quotes from 2005 ceremony

"The African Development Bank is very pleased to support the Ai Awards because they support excellence and only the best is good enough for Africa" Arunmah Oteh, Vice President, Corporate Management ADB.

"The Ai awards offer the opportunity to reward innovative programmes and projects that play a vital role in Africa's development. The continent will only move forward if it grows its own private sector and attracts significant foreign investment. Rewarding those companies and organisations that have had the courage to invest already can only serve to encourage others to do the same" Amir Dossal, Executive Director, UNFIP.