Kenyan university students have made the country proud at theΒ 2024β2025 Huawei ICT Competition Global Finals, showcasing not only their technical prowess but also the countryβs growing position as a digital skills powerhouse in Africa.
Kenya Secures Multiple Global Awards
At this yearβs finals, held in Shenzhen, China,Β Kenyan teams won top positions across four major tracks:
- First Prize in the Computing Track: Secured by a joint team fromΒ Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT)Β andΒ Machakos University.
- Second Prize in the Network Track: Achieved by a combined team fromΒ Machakos University, JKUAT, and the University of Nairobi (UoN).
- Second Prize in the Cloud Track: Won by students fromΒ JKUAT and Moi University.
- Third Prize in the Innovation Track: Earned by theΒ βSilicon Savannahβ team from Egerton University, who developed aΒ Smart Air Quality Monitoring System.
Additionally, anΒ all-girls team from Kenya – Ifrah Hussein, Banzy Nyaga, and Beverlyn Ndombi – receivedΒ special recognition with the Women in Technology Award, highlighting the importance of gender inclusion in ICT.
National Pride and Support
Kenyaβs Principal Secretary for Youth Affairs and the Creative Economy,Β Fikirini Jackobs, who attended the award ceremony, commended the students and lecturers:
βCongratulations TEAM Kenya for the resounding victory... More grace as we explore and nurture expertise for the betterment of our beloved country.β
The Kenyan delegation also includedΒ Ambassador to China H.E Willy Bett,Β Huawei Kenyaβs Khadija Mohammed,Β Education AttachΓ© Albert Ombiro, and other academic representatives and supporters from the participating universities.
Southern Africa Region Strongly Represented
The finals also saw strong performances from teams across Southern Africa, including students fromΒ Cameroon, Ghana, Madagascar, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda. These teams secured awards across the Network, Cloud, Computing, and Innovation tracks – further reflecting the regionβs accelerating digital transformation.
A Decade of Global Impact
The 2024β2025 edition markedΒ 10 years of the Huawei ICT Competition, a flagship event that has engaged overΒ 960,000 students from 2,000 institutions across more than 100 countriesΒ since 2015.
This year, overΒ 210,000 studentsΒ participated globally, withΒ 179 finalist teams from 48 countries and regionsΒ making it to the Global Final.
HuaweiβsΒ Ritchie Peng, Director of ICT Strategy & Business Development, stated during the opening ceremony:
βThe Practice Competition aligns with our vision for an Intelligent World 2030. The Innovation Competition motivates participants to solve real-world challenges in sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and education.β
Kenyaβs ICT Ecosystem Is Expanding
HuaweiβsΒ ICT Academy initiative, launched in Kenya in 2016, continues to scale. Today, overΒ 50 universities and colleges in KenyaΒ offer Huawei-certified training in technologies such asΒ routing, cloud computing, IP, 5G, and AI.
By 2024, Huawei had set upΒ ICT Academies in over 478 institutions across Southern Africa, trainingΒ more than 100,000 students and 1,500 teachers. In Kenya alone,Β over 12,000 students and 320 lecturersΒ have been trained, with more thanΒ 4,000 students trained annually.
HuaweiβsΒ Smart Classroom Solution, which integratesΒ AI-powered analytics, knowledge graphs, andΒ interactive learning tools, is also part of the broader education transformation efforts in Kenya and the region.
UNESCO and Global Recognition
The Huawei ICT Competition is recognized as a flagship initiative underΒ UNESCOβs Global Skills Academy, further validating the programβs global impact and relevance in addressing the digital skills gap.
Looking Ahead
With consistent wins at global platforms and growing partnerships between academia, government, and tech giants like Huawei,Β Kenyaβs digital skills pipeline is clearly gaining international recognition. The country’s youth are not just participants in the digital revolution – they are shaping it.
