Thursday, May 15, 2025: Huawei Kenya, in partnership with the Government of Kenya through the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, has officially flagged off 12 outstanding university and TVET students who will represent Kenya at the Huawei ICT Competition Global Final 2024–2025, taking place in Shenzhen, China, from May 20 to 24, 2025.
The flag-off ceremony, led by Cabinet Secretary for Education, Julius Migos, and Ambassador Jane Makori, Director General for Asia Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, celebrated the students’ exceptional achievements and highlighted the importance of digital skills development in building Kenya’s knowledge economy.
CS Julius Migos praised the program’s impact:
“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. Education is the great equalizer — and when coupled with ICT, it becomes the foundation for real human progress.”
Since its inception in Kenya, the Huawei ICT Competition has seen more than 12,000 students from universities and over 500 TVET students participate, receiving training and certification in cutting-edge technologies like data communications, cloud computing, AI, and networking.
This year, 12 students and 4 lecturers, accompanied by a motivational coach, will represent Kenya in the Network, Cloud, Computing, and Innovation tracks. They will join competitors from over 70 countries worldwide in what has become one of the largest global ICT talent events — attracting over 160,000 students from more than 2,200 institutions globally.
Stephen Zang, Deputy CEO of Huawei Kenya, expressed his appreciation:
“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.”
Kenya’s 2025 team showcases diverse representation across all competition tracks, including an increase in female participation, reflecting deliberate efforts to empower women in technology and reduce gender gaps in STEM fields. Female students from Kenya have consistently excelled, underscoring the importance of inclusive ICT training in driving equitable digital transformation.
Kenya continues a proud tradition of excellence. In the 2024 Global Final, Kenyan teams won two First Prizes and three Third Prizes, underscoring the country’s growing stature in the global ICT space.
Eric Muriithi Karimi, a Computer Science student from Egerton University and one of the finalists, shared:“We feel confident and well-prepared. I thank my fellow students, Huawei, and the Kenyan government for supporting us on this journey.”
Huawei continues to support a robust ICT talent ecosystem in Kenya through its ICT Academies, aligned with the Ministry of Education’s agenda to provide industry-relevant digital skills for the future workforce.
The event will also coincide with the Global ICT Accelerating Education Transformation Summit, attracting policymakers, UNESCO representatives, and education leaders from around the world to discuss digital transformation in education.
