Kenyan university students have made history at the Huawei ICT Competition 2025-2026 Global Final, held in Shenzhen, China.
This landmark achievement marks the first time Kenya has secured the prestigious Grand Prize in the competition’s ten-year history, underscoring Kenya’s rising influence in the global technology arena.
The Huawei ICT Competition, the largest edition to date, attracted over 220,000 university students and faculty members from more than 2,000 institutions across 100 countries and regions.
After fierce competition through national and regional rounds, 177 teams from 49 countries advanced to the Global Final.
Eighteen outstanding teams from eight countries were awarded the Grand Prize, with Kenya proudly joining this elite group.
In a stellar show of skill and innovation, Team Kenya clinched the Grand Prize in the Cloud Category. The winning team, comprising Kevin Tuei (Tharaka University), Catherine Atieno (Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology), Brian Ngugi Kamau (Mt. Kenya University), and Salem Kim (Machakos University), demonstrated exceptional digital talent and technical expertise, marking a milestone moment for Kenya.
Kenya’s impact extended beyond the Grand Prize. An all-female Kenyan team was honored with the Special Women in Tech Award in the Computing Category, securing a strong second prize. The team included Esther Wairimu (Mentor and Lecturer), Joan Nkatha, Melane Minayo, and Faith Mosonik.
Additionally, Kenya’s Network Category team, consisting of Denzel Nzinga – (Multimedia University of Kenya), Robert Wambua – (Kenyatta University) and Joy Wairimu (The Cooperative University of Kenya), won first prize, highlighting Kenya’s well-rounded excellence across multiple ICT disciplines.
The prestigious awards ceremony drew diplomatic representatives from 11 countries, celebrating the remarkable achievements of students worldwide.
Huawei ICT Strategy & Business Development President Ritchie (Honghua) Peng highlighted the competition’s role in promoting technology for social and environmental good and announced new initiatives aimed at advancing AI and industry collaboration.
This edition also featured the AI Accelerating Education Transformation Summit, spotlighting AI’s transformative role in education.
Huawei introduced the ICT Academy AI Course Solution, designed to support scalable AI talent development in universities, and released an insightful report guiding ICT skill development in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
The Huawei ICT Competition continues to be a critical platform for developing Kenya’s and the world’s future digital talent, addressing the growing global demand for expertise in AI, computing, big data, and cybersecurity.
Kenya’s exceptional performance at this Global Final reinforces its growing reputation as a hub of digital innovation and skilled ICT professionals.
