Huawei Kenya, in partnership with the Government of Kenya, has officially flagged off a team of 12 top-performing university and TVET students to represent the country at the Huawei ICT Competition Global Final 2024–2025. The global showdown will be held from May 20 to 24 in Shenzhen, China.
The flag-off ceremony, held in Nairobi, was presided over by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos and Ambassador Jane Makori, Director General for Asia Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs. The event celebrated the students’ academic excellence and underscored the strategic importance of digital skills in Kenya’s socio-economic development.
“The Huawei ICT Competition is not just about competing — it’s about empowering young people, building an ICT-literate workforce, and aligning with the government’s agenda on youth, innovation, and science,” said CS Migos. “Education is the great equalizer — and when coupled with ICT, it becomes the foundation for real human progress.”
This year’s finalists, accompanied by four lecturers and a motivational coach, will compete in four categories: Network, Cloud, Computing, and Innovation. They will face off against peers from over 70 countries, in what has become one of the world’s largest ICT talent contests, drawing more than 160,000 students from 2,200 institutions globally.
The Huawei ICT Competition, launched in Kenya several years ago, has already trained over 12,000 university students and more than 500 students from technical and vocational training institutions. Participants gain exposure to industry-leading technologies, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data communications, and cybersecurity, receiving both academic and Huawei industry certifications.
Stephen Zang, Deputy CEO of Huawei Kenya, commended the government’s continued partnership: “We deeply thank the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs for their unwavering support since the inception of the competition. We are proud that over 6,500 students have participated locally, and we are honored to see Kenya’s representation grow on the global stage.”
This year’s Kenyan delegation also marks a notable increase in female representation across all competition tracks, a reflection of ongoing efforts to close gender gaps in STEM and promote inclusive digital transformation. Female Kenyan participants have consistently performed well in past competitions.
Kenya boasts a strong record at the global finals. In 2024, Kenyan teams won two First Prizes and three Third Prizes, cementing the country’s reputation as a rising force in global tech talent.
“We feel confident and well-prepared. I thank my fellow students, Huawei, and the Kenyan government for supporting us on this journey,” said Eric Muriithi Karimi, a Computer Science student from Egerton University and one of the finalists.
The event will also coincide with the Global ICT Accelerating Education Transformation Summit, to be held in Shenzhen alongside the competition. The summit will bring together policymakers, UNESCO representatives, and education leaders from around the world to discuss the future of digital education and innovation.
Huawei continues to invest in Kenya’s ICT talent ecosystem through its growing network of ICT Academies, supporting the Ministry of Education’s vision to deliver industry-aligned skills and prepare youth for the digital economy.
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