Tech Event Launches in Nairobi: Huawei ICT Competition Aims to Enhance Digital Expertise
Chinese telecoms firm Huawei has launched the 10th Information and Communication Technology (ICT) competition in Nairobi, Kenya. This global initiative is focused on equipping students in universities, mid-level colleges, and vocational training centers with advanced digital skills.
The competition, according to Esther Thaara Muoria, Principal Secretary in the State Department for Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the Ministry of Education, has been used to identify, nurture, and showcase ICT talent in local institutions of higher learning.
Senior government officials, industry executives, students, faculty members, and innovators attended the official launch of the competition. Michael Kamau, head of the Huawei ICT Academy in Kenya, stated that participants in the competition will receive hands-on training on emerging technologies, mentorship, and international exposure.
The competition serves as a transformative journey for Kenyan youth, boosting employability, promoting innovation, and linking them with global ICT ecosystems. Over the past decade, it has fostered innovation and digital literacy among Kenyan youth, as noted by Moses Wetang'ula, Speaker of Kenya’s National Assembly.
The competition in Kenya is designed to empower the youth and transform sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, logistics, and financial services through nurturing digital skills. It offers Kenyan university and TVET students a platform to enhance ICT knowledge and skills in areas like networking, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, aligned with Kenya’s digital transformation goals.
The competition has significantly impacted Kenyan youth since 2018, empowering over 12,000 students with global exposure, practical ICT skills, mentorship, and opportunities for international competition. Kenyan teams have excelled at the global finals, winning top prizes in computing, networking, cloud, and innovation tracks, demonstrating Kenya's growing digital capabilities. More than 40 Kenyan students have qualified for global finals in China, with many securing internships or jobs with Huawei and its partners, highlighting the competition's role in career development.
The 10th edition aims to enroll about 10,000 students, demonstrating its scale and continued influence on Kenya’s tech talent pipeline. The competition will have three rounds: a national final scheduled for December, a regional final for February next year, covering 15 countries in sub-Saharan Africa or southern Africa, and a global final in May 2026.
The Kenyan parliament, according to Wetang'ula, is committed to developing policies and legislation to help young people acquire digital skills and secure jobs of the future. The Huawei ICT Competition, through its partnership with the State Department for TVET, aims to foster ICT talent development among tutors and students, aiming to spark innovation and enhance industry readiness among graduates.
The competition encourages innovation through challenges that yield tech solutions, such as a smart air quality monitoring system developed by Kenyan students. Students in the competition will compete in four categories: network track, cloud track, computing, and innovation.
Overall, the Huawei ICT Competition serves as a cornerstone of ICT excellence in Kenya, enabling young Kenyans to showcase their talent and make their mark on the global scene. It plays a crucial role in nurturing digital skills that can be leveraged to transform various sectors, as emphasised by Esther Thaara Muoria. The competition also helps tackle unemployment and hasten growth in Kenya, as mentioned by Wetang'ula.
- In alignment with Kenya's digital transformation goals, the Huawei ICT Competition offers students an opportunity to enhance their ICT knowledge and skills in areas like networking, cloud computing, and cybersecurity, empowering them to transform sectors such as healthcare, logistics, and financial services through nurtured digital skills.
- The competition encourages innovation by presenting students with challenges that yield tech solutions, enabling them to create tech-driven products, such as a smart air quality monitoring system to combat environmental challenges.
- The competition, apart from serving as a platform for global exposure and practical ICT learning, also plays a significant role in career development, with countless Kenyan students securing internships or jobs with Huawei and its partners after qualifying for the global finals.
