2010 African Banker Awards winners announced

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East Africa's Dr. James Mwangi, MD and CEO of Kenya's Equity Bank picked up the African Banker of the Year award. He was cited for revolutionising Kenya's banking industry, pioneering the first mobile banking technology in the world to reach out to the unbanked, and for championing the empowerment of ordinary people through inclusive finance.

Syda Bbumba, minister of finance, Planning and Economic Development of Uganda was awarded Minister of Finance of the Year, for reducing inflation and instituting sound fiscal and monetary policies which have contributed to a growing economy.

Ethiopia's Amhara Credit and Savings Institution (ACSI) won the Microfinance Institution of the Year Award. Nigeria's Access Bank and Stanbic IBTC won the Socially Responsible Bank of the Year and Best Issuing House awards respectively.

Winners of African Banker Awards 2010:

• African Bank of the Year: Attijariwafa Bank, Morocco
  
• Best Local Bank: Banque Internationale Arabe Tunise, Tunisia
  
• African Banker: Dr. James Mwangi, MD and CEO, Equity Bank Ltd, Kenya
  
• Investment Fund / Private Equity Fund of the Year: Actis LLP
  
• Socially Responsible Bank of the Year: Access Bank Plc, Nigeria
  
• Most Innovative Bank of the Year: Ecobank / Nedbank Alliance
  
• Microfinance Institution of the Year: Amhara Credit and Savings Institution (ACSI), Ethiopia
  
• Deal of the Year: African Finance Corporation, Main One Cable Project, Nigeria
  
• Best Issuing House: Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Nigeria
  
• Investment Bank of the Year: Renaissance Capital
  
• Best Development Bank: Development Bank of Southern Africa
  
• Best Global Bank: Standard Chartered
  
• Minister of Finance of the Year: Syda Bbumba, minister of finance, Planning and Economic Development, Republic of Uganda

Christine Ohuruogu, the 2008 Beijing Olympic 400m champion, presented the Best Global Bank Award to Standard Chartered Bank.

Banking, growing in Africa

Commenting on this year's awards, Omar Ben Yedder, publisher, African Banker magazine, said, "We are pleased to see such a diverse set of winners this year. Banking is still growing rapidly throughout Africa and we are seeing large groups diversifying their activities and product offerings. This is necessary and the private sector needs strong banking institutions. African banks are well capitalised by international standards but can play an even bigger role in driving growth and assisting small businesses. I am confident, with the talent on show here tonight, that they will rise to this challenge."

The African Banker Awards is organised by African Banker magazine and IC Events.

The African Banker Awards 2010 are sponsored by the Ecobank Nedbank Alliance, Afrexim Bank, BIAT, Bank of Industry and Fitch Ratings. It is supported by the private sector operations of the African Development Bank. It is co-organised by Business in Africa Events and local partner the US-based Corporate Council of Africa (CCA).