The African Development Bank (AfDB) has been shortlisted for the Africa investor (Ai) Infrastructure Project Developer Awards 2016. It has been nominated in the category of Ai African Project Development Financier of the Year.

Other nominees in the same category include the World Bank, Industrial Development Corporation, American Capital Energy & Infrastructure, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, among others.

Now in their second year, the Awards recognise achievements across the main infrastructure sectors in Africa, including top infrastructure project developers, financiers, advisors and development partners per category operating in Africa. They reward institutions and personalities behind transactions or activities seeking to improve the continent's infrastructure investment climate. The awards are in 15 categories.

In 2015 the AfDB bagged the award for Ai Regional Infrastructure Investment Initiative of the Year. At the same time, the Lake Turkana Wind Power Project, supported largely by the Bank, received the Ai Power Deal of the Year Award. Located in Northern Kenya, the project is Africa's largest single wind power plant to be constructed. It aims to add 310 megawatts of reliable low cost wind power to the national grid, enough to power over two million households. The AfDB considers as key the development of essential infrastructure on the continent. It has over the last decade invested directly over US $30-billion in infrastructure, which has constituted over 50 percent of its lending activities.

The Ai Infrastructure Project Developer Awards 2016 will be held during the Ai CEO Infrastructure Project Developers Summit, expected to take place on May 9, 2016 in Johannesburg, South Africa.