Rwanda Development Bank (BRD) has been nominated from this year’s Africa Banker Awards under the financial inclusion award category, implying that recent efforts to increase financial inclusion are paying off.The African Banker Awards are organised by the African Banker magazine, IC Events and Business in Africa Events.Jack Kayonga, the Managing Director of BRD says that the nomination is significant for the bank and the country in general, as it creates confidence in the country’s financial sector."We are humbled that we have been nominated alongside renowned banks. We are more enthusiastic about us being given the award,” he told Business Times yesterday.BRD has made tremendous achievements in financial visibility, contribution to the country’s development, especially financial inclusion, and working relations with other entities and the governance structure, which are all part of the yardsticks followed during the nominations.The award ceremony, which takes place in Africa for the first time, are scheduled to take place in Arusha, Tanzania on May 30 this year. They are seen as a landmark in celebrating excellence and best practices in African banking and finance. Commenting on this year’s entries, Omar Ben Yedder, Publisher of African Banker magazine, said: "We are excited to recognise and celebrate these African champions in Arusha during the AfDB annual meetings. The entries have become stronger year on year, and the committee is impressed by the role financial institutions are playing in driving growth, especially the increasing number of big ticket deals and also smaller ones, creating a blueprint for others to replicate.”