RDB Awards Best Performing Businesses

Winners of RDB Business Excellence Awards taking a picture with Prime Minister and RDB CEO

Kigali: In an event that brought together all major business owners in Rwanda, VP World Bank, Prime Minister and several ministers, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) for the fourth time awarded the best performing business of the fiscal year 2011. The event took place on 27^th January 2011 at Kigali Serena Hotel.

According to Vivian Kaitesi, these awards just like their name RDB Business Excellence Awards are meant to recognize companies that have worked tirelessly to raise their social-economic standards. Therefore a team of different personalities from across the region with high integrity did enough analysis to come up with the following list;

1. Investor of the year
Winner: Banque Populaire du Rwanda
1st runner up: Nakumatt

2. Exporter of the year
Winner: Bralirwa
1st runner up: Entreprise Urwibutso

3. Best SME 2011: Soft Group
Ist runner up for best SME 2011: COPROVIBA

Sector categories

4. TOURISM
Winner of the year: Tourism Promotion Services Ltd-Serena
Best SME in the Tourism sector: Rwanda Tourism University College (RTUC)

5. ICT:
Winner of the year: Tigo
Best SME in the ICT sector:Hoziyana

6. GENERAL MANUFACTURING:
Winner of the year: Bralirwa
Best SME in General Manufacturing: Softgroup

7. AGRO PROCESSING
Winner of the year: Entreprise Urwibutso
Best SME in Agro processing: Coproviba

8. MINING
Winner of the year: Wolfram
Best SME in the mining sector: Alicomec

9. FINANCE
Winner of the year: Bank of Kigali
Best SME in the financial sector: COMICOKA

10. REAL ESTATE
Winner of the year: Real Contractors
Best SME in Real Estate: Ujenge

Special category winners:
• Best Customer Service: Rwanda Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration
• Woman entrepreneur of the year 2011: Mukarubega Zulfat (Owner of RTUC)
• Young Entrepreneur of the year 2011: Jean de Dieu Kagabo, Soft group
• Most Business Friendly District: Ruhango District, Southern Province

RDB’s CEO John Gara gave an inspirational speech over which he said “We are happy that the Rwandan private sector is continuously growing bigger and better. Nevertheless RDB is extremely in support of SME”

The event’s guest of honor was Prime Minister Habumeremyi Piere Damien who said “Greeting from HE Paul Kagame, he says congratulations to tonight’s winners and supports both this initiative and excellence over which you do your businesses”, President’s message read.

Damien also said that “to meet social and growing needs of our people, private sector must grow and the government will continue to provide support and security.”