12 students from Kenyan universities are representing the country in the global finals of the Huawei ICT Competition 2024–2025, taking place this week in Shenzhen, China.
The finals, which run from Tuesday, May 20th to Saturday, May 24th, will culminate in an awards ceremony celebrating top talent in digital technologies.
Now in its ninth edition, this year’s competition is themed “Connection, Glory and Future” and features four competitive tracks: Network, Cloud, Computing, and Innovation. These categories offer students the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and creativity in key areas shaping the digital world.
The Huawei ICT Competition has seen extraordinary global participation this season, with over 210,000 students and instructors from more than 2,000 universities across 100+ countries and regions taking part.
“Digital transformation is reshaping industries faster than ever, and the greatest challenge is the shortage of skilled ICT professionals,” said Ritchie Peng, President of Huawei’s ICT Strategy & Business Development Department. “Through initiatives like this competition and our ICT Academy, we’re empowering the next generation of innovators and ensuring talent development keeps pace with rapid technological change.”
This year, students from Machakos University, Moi University, and JKUAT are representing Kenya in the Networking and Cloud tracks. The Kenyan team is among 12 finalists selected from a pool of 21,000 participants across 18 Sub-Saharan African countries. In total, 21 Kenyan students advanced to the regional finals, and the top 12 earned a place at the global event. Finalists also participated in a technology immersion program in Johannesburg, deepening their exposure to real-world ICT environments.
“Through talent development, we are addressing industry needs while nurturing a sustainable digital ecosystem,” said Stephen Zang, Deputy CEO of Huawei Kenya. “This competition gives students a platform to shine in areas like AI, Cloud and Networking, and Kenyan students have consistently excelled on the global stage.”
A notable highlight this year is the record participation of female students, with five women qualifying for the global finals—an important milestone in the ongoing effort to bridge the gender gap in STEM fields. Among them is Rukia Mohammed, a JKUAT Telecommunications Engineering student and top prize winner, who plans to mentor and inspire more young women to pursue careers in technology.
Since its launch in 2015, the Huawei ICT Competition has trained over 1 million students, engaged 2,700 universities, and upskilled 11,000+ instructors worldwide. More than 500 students have gained employment through Huawei’s Talent Job Fair, with top performers often fast-tracked into the company’s Management Trainee Program.
In Kenya, this year’s edition saw participation from over 6,000 students across fifty partner universities and colleges, reflecting growing interest in ICT skills development nationwide.
The Huawei ICT Competition is open to students from institutions affiliated with the Huawei ICT Academy. Participants gain access to cutting-edge resources, hands-on labs, and mentorship from Huawei-certified instructors, building real-world skills in networking, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence.
Globally, the competition has earned recognition from UNESCO’s Global Skills Academy, and in China, it is officially listed as a national competition for university students.
As the finals commence, Kenya’s representatives carry not just the hopes of their institutions but also the aspirations of a continent striving for a more connected and innovative digital future.
