IN a ceremony held in Nairobi on Friday, 21 exceptional Kenyan students emerged victorious in the fiercely contested 2023-2024 Huawei ICT Competition, solidifying Kenya’s position as a rising force in the global technology arena. Out of nearly 6,000 participants, these standout students were recognised for their prowess in various ICT disciplines, with an impressive 18 of them securing coveted spots in the global final to be held in China. This achievement surpasses the performance of any other country in the Southern African Region, underscoring Kenya’s growing influence in the tech landscape.
The awards ceremony, attended by key stakeholders including Ezekiel Machogu, Cabinet Secretary of the Ministry of Education, highlighted the critical role of technology skills in propelling Kenya’s advancement. Speaking at the event, Machogu emphasised the importance of collaboration between academia and industry leaders in fostering high-tech talent. He praised initiatives such as the Huawei ICT Competition for equipping students with cutting-edge skills in areas such as internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence, and cloud computing, thereby addressing the skills gap in the ICT sector.
The top student in the competition, Luis Kinyua, expressed gratitude to Huawei and university lecturers for their support, acknowledging the competition as a pivotal stepping stone for aspiring Network and Cloud experts. The Huawei ICT Competition, launched in 2015 as part of the Huawei ICT Academy, serves as a conduit for transferring the latest global knowledge in ICT, with the 2023-2024 edition featuring tracks in cloud computing, network, and innovation.
Gavin Gao, CEO of Huawei Kenya, lauded the Ministry of Education for its collaboration in ensuring the success of the competition, emphasising the importance of leveraging digital technology to empower youth and drive innovation. The award ceremony coincided with a National ICT Talent Summit, bringing together university and ICT industry stakeholders to explore strategies for enhancing ICT education and utilization in higher education.
Donna Rege, Senior Manager IT Business & Government and Women In Technology (WIT) Lead at Safaricom, commended Huawei’s commitment to capacity building, noting the significant increase in women participants in this year’s competition. She pledged Safaricom’s continued collaboration in advancing capability development initiatives.
Alexandandros Makarigakis, Director and Representative of UNESCO Multi-sectoral Regional Office for Eastern Africa, highlighted the imperative of digital technology in addressing Africa’s education crisis. He underscored UNESCO’s strategy of leveraging content, capacity, and connectivity to unlock digital learning opportunities, aligning with Kenya’s efforts to nurture ICT talent through initiatives such as Huawei’s ICT Academies.
In Kenya, Huawei has established over 50 ICT Academies in universities and colleges, providing training in networking, cloud computing, 5G, and AI to over 4,000 students annually. Recognised by the Ministry of ICT Innovation and Youth Affairs, these academies play a crucial role in nurturing Kenya’s ICT talent pool and supporting national development initiatives.