Twelve Kenyan Students Head to China for Global Huawei ICT Competition Finals

Twelve Kenyan university students are representing the country at the Huawei ICT Competition finals in Shenzhen, China, where they will compete against teams from 40 countries.

The students were selected from nearly 3,000 applicants across Kenyan universities and are among 131 teams taking part in one of the world's largest international technology competitions for young talent. Launched in 2015, the Huawei ICT Competition has become a major platform for students to demonstrate their skills in network engineering, cloud computing, computing and artificial intelligence. 

Competitors face an intensive eight-hour laboratory examination that assesses technical knowledge, practical problem-solving abilities and teamwork under pressure. Huawei says the competition helps strengthen ICT skills and encourages innovation, particularly in areas such as AI and network infrastructure.

Among the Kenyan participants is Catherine Atieno, a fifth-year telecommunications and information engineering student at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). After failing to qualify in previous years, she described reaching the finals as both a personal achievement and an opportunity to represent her country. She said she hopes to make her university, family and Kenya proud.

Her teammate, Brian Kamau, a computer science student at Mount Kenya University, said his interest in cloud computing and artificial intelligence motivated him to compete. He added that he has prepared extensively through mock examinations and practical simulations. 

The team secured its place in the finals after progressing through regional competitions that began last September. Their trainers highlighted the commitment and discipline required to reach this stage, while Kenyan leaders said such qualities would be important as the country seeks to strengthen its position as a regional technology hub.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who officially flagged off the team, said their achievement reflected merit, hard work and dedication. University leaders also encouraged the students to use their skills to create employment opportunities and support entrepreneurship, pointing to the role of technology in addressing unemployment.

Huawei representatives reaffirmed the company's commitment to developing digital talent in Kenya through initiatives such as the ICT Academy Programme, which aims to equip students with internationally recognised technology skills. Kenya's participation in the finals reflects the country's efforts to build a competitive digital workforce and expand its presence in the global technology sector. 

As the competition continues in Shenzhen, the students will seek to showcase their abilities on an international stage while representing the ambitions of Kenya's growing technology industry.