Twelve students from Kenyan universities have jetted off to Shenzhen, China, to represent the country in the global finals of the Huawei ICT Competition 2024–2025. The finals, running from May 20th to May 24th, will bring together top student talent from across the world to showcase digital innovation and technical excellence.
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. It aims to provide a platform for students to demonstrate their skills in the core technologies shaping the digital future.
Kenya’s representatives are drawn from Machakos University, Moi University, and Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), competing in the Networking and Cloud tracks. They are among 12 finalists selected from a pool of 21,000 students across 18 Sub-Saharan African countries. The Kenyan team advanced to the global stage after excelling in regional finals and a technology immersion program in Johannesburg, South Africa.
In a notable milestone for gender inclusion in STEM, this year’s competition has seen a record number of female finalists from Kenya. Among the 12 students heading to Shenzhen, four are young women, including Rukia Mohammed, a Telecommunications Engineering student from JKUAT and one of the top prize winners. She hopes to mentor more girls to pursue careers in technology.
“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, we are empowering the next generation of innovators.”
Stephen Zang, Deputy CEO of Huawei Kenya, echoed this sentiment, saying, “Through talent development, we are addressing industry needs while nurturing a sustainable digital ecosystem. Kenyan students have consistently excelled on the global stage.”
This year’s competition drew over 210,000 students and instructors from more than 2,000 universities across 100+ countries and regions. In Kenya alone, over 6,000 students from 50 partner institutions participated, demonstrating the growing appetite for ICT skills among youth.
Since its inception in 2015, the Huawei ICT Competition has trained more than one million students globally, upskilled 11,000 instructors, and created a pipeline of young talent for the tech industry. More than 500 students have secured jobs through Huawei’s Talent Job Fair, with many fast-tracked into the company’s Management Trainee Program.
As the Kenyan team prepares to compete on the global stage, they carry the hopes of a nation and a continent eager to stake its claim in the digital economy. Their participation underscores the importance of nurturing local talent and promoting inclusivity in technology development.
The global finals will conclude on Saturday, May 24th, with an awards ceremony honoring the most outstanding teams in this prestigious international competition.