Arik Air, Nigeria’s leading commercial airline, has been nominated for Airline of the Year at the African Business Awards 2009. Organised by African Business magazine and the Commonwealth Business Council (CBC), the African Business Awards highlight the great strides the continent is making in the world of business.

Mohan Kaul, Director General and CEO of the Commonwealth Business Council stressed the importance of the African Business Awards: “The gap between the perception and realities of doing business in Africa, while narrowing, is still too large. The continent boasts world-class companies and leaders, but their names are not well known, nor their achievements widely celebrated.  CBC is delighted to be working with African Business, a leading voice on Africa’s economic development, and the panel of independent judges to help remedy this.”

Winners will now be chosen from the shortlist by a panel of judges who have been carefully selected for their in-depth understanding of the business environment in Africa: Mr. Amadou Ba, President and Director, AllAfrica Global Media; Mr. Jean-Louis Ekra, CEO, Afrexim Bank; Mr. Stephen Hayes, Chairman, Corporate Council on Africa; Mrs. Yvonne Ike, Regional Director, West Africa at JPMorgan Chase International; Mr. Omari Issa, Chief Executive Officer, Investment Climate Facility for Africa and Mr. Tim Turner, Director, Private Sector, African Development Bank. The winners will be announced at a gala dinner at the Grosvenor House hotel in London on Monday 6th July.