Kenyan Students Honoured for Global ICT Success at Huawei Competition

Kenya’s rising profile as a global tech powerhouse was celebrated this week as National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula honoured 12 exceptional university students for their outstanding performance at the Huawei ICT Competition Global Final 2024–2025, held in Shenzhen, China. This recognition solidifies Kenya’s participation in the Huawei ICT Competition as a path to global excellence.

At a special recognition ceremony hosted at Parliament Buildings, Speaker Wetangula commended the students for flying the Kenyan flag high on the international stage. He urged them to continue innovating in emerging fields such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

“Let this achievement be a stepping stone. Continue to push forward and leverage emerging technologies to create practical solutions for Kenya and the world,” said Hon. Wetangula.

The winners include:

• First Prize – Computing Track: A combined team from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and Machakos University
• Second Prize – Network Track: Teams from Machakos University, JKUAT, and the University of Nairobi
• Second Prize – Cloud Track: A collaborative team from JKUAT and Moi University
• Third Prize – Innovation Track: Egerton University’s “Silicon Savannah” team, recognised for their Smart Air Quality Monitoring System, an innovative solution that enables real-time environmental health data collection for smarter cities and healthier communities

This outstanding performance highlights Kenya’s growing strength in ICT education and innovation, especially as demonstrated through platforms like the Huawei ICT Competition.

“This win is not for us individually, but for Kenya and all Kenyans,” said Mark Omaiko, a second-year Cloud Computing and Information Security student at Machakos University. “We encourage more students to take part in these programs; it’s been the experience of a lifetime.”

This year’s competition also marked a major milestone for gender inclusion in STEM. Kenya fielded an all-female team, which won the Women in Technology Award. The team featured students from JKUAT and Moi University, and their success reflects a growing movement of young women pursuing careers in ICT.

“These young women are the future leaders of our digital economy,” noted Stephen Zhang, Deputy CEO, Huawei Kenya.

The Huawei ICT Competition is part of a broader national effort to bridge the gap between academia and industry. Since its launch in Kenya, the Huawei ICT Competition program has attracted over 12,000 participants, with 50 students reaching the global finals. Many top performers have gone on to join Huawei’s Management Trainee Program or other tech roles.

In April 2025, Huawei signed a three-year MoU with the State Department for TVET to establish 150 ICT Academies across Kenya. The initiative will train 1,000 students annually and support 150 instructors, further strengthening Kenya’s digital capabilities.

“Digital transformation is accelerating, and the biggest challenge is the shortage of skilled ICT professionals,” said Zhang. “Through initiatives like this, we’re empowering the next generation of tech innovators and encouraging their participation in global events like the Huawei ICT Competition.”

As Kenya continues to invest in digital education and innovation, these achievements underscore the country’s readiness not just to participate, but to lead on the global digital frontier through platforms like the Huawei ICT Competition.

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