[Kampala, Uganda ] – Huawei Technologies Uganda Company Limited, a leading provider of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure in Uganda has today officially launched its nationwide 2025-2026 Huawei ICT Competition. The event was officiated by the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports in Uganda, Hon. Janet K Museveni at State House Nakasero, which brought together senior ministry officials, diplomats from the embassy of The People’s Republic of China in Uganda, the top management of Huawei Technologies and aspiring technologists to celebrate the start of an initiative which is aimed at promoting ICT talent development and bridging the gap between academia and industry.
The Huawei ICT Competition is a global initiative with a primary goal of encouraging young talent to excel in Information and Communications Technology through structured training, industry-level exposure, competitions and driving digital transformation. With the theme of “Connection, Glory, Future” and the slogan of “I. C. The Future”, Huawei ICT Competitions will gather higher educational institutions, training institutions and technology enthusiasts to help the ICT talent ecosystem thrive.
The event also celebrated the ground-breaking ideas and innovations exhibited by the Ugandan participants in Shenzhen, China at the global finals of the 2024-2025 Huawei ICT Competition and the 2025 Seeds for the Future training held in May and July 2025 respectively. Represented by students from Gulu University, Muni University, Kabale University and Cavendish University, the Ugandan contingent demonstrated exceptional determination, skills and innovation securing second prizes in the Cloud Track and the Innovation competitions.
Alongside the students was Ms. Michelle Kapsanduy Chemutai, a former participant of the 2023-2024 competitions, who was recognized for having obtained the Huawei Certified ICT Expert (HCIE) certificate, the highest level of technical and professional certification offered by Huawei in Inter-networks making her the first female instructor in Africa to obtain this qualification. Having sat her HCIE Written Exam in November 2024 and passed she underwent further training and preparation sessions gaining hands-on experience with iMaster NCE-Campus and learned how to deploy a cloud-managed campus network — a critical part of the HCIE lab exam which she sat and passed in May this year upon getting the lab exam voucher from Huawei. All the successful participants of these annual Huawei Corporate Social Responsibility flagship programs, Seeds for the Future and Huawei ICT Competition, were recognized and awarded with cash prizes.
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Maama Janet Kataaha Museveni, while presenting the awards to the participants and in her speech, appreciated the students for daring to learn, challenge themselves, and to compete. “Our young people have not only participated in the Huawei programs, in and out of the country but they have also excelled.” she said. She conveyed her appreciation to Huawei and to The People’s Republic of China for this cordial partnership that has benefited our nations.
H.E Zhang Lizhong, the Ambassador of The People’s Republic of China in Uganda extended his warmest congratulations to all the winners and participants on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Uganda. “Your dedication to mastering cutting-edge technologies inspires us all.” He also commended Huawei Uganda for its unwavering commitment to Uganda’s ICT talent ecosystem which has been a vital partner to bridging the digital skills gap through initiatives like the Digitruck, Seeds for the future, Huawei ICT Academy and this ICT competition, Huawei empowers Ugandan students with globally recognized certifications and hands-on experience. He closed by emphasizing the importance of comprehensive strategic cooperative partnerships which resonate deeply with the broader framework of China-Uganda relations and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening ICT cooperation under frameworks like FOCAC and the Belt and Road Initiative.
Mr.Dong Xuefeng, the Huawei Eastern Africa Multi-country Regional CEO re-affirmed in his speech the importance of embracing technology in Uganda which has been instrumental in encouraging digital growth and fostering environments where innovation can thrive. He congratulated the students for emerging victorious and daring to dream. On behalf of Huawei, Mr. Dong extended his heartfelt gratitude to the First Lady for officially launching the 2025-2026 Huawei Competition, the ministry’s unwavering support and strategic guidance which have led to impactful collaborations.
Ms. Blessed Nanyonga a beneficiary of the Seeds for the Future program while giving her testimonial attested to the program’s comprehensive curriculum which provided them with hands-on experience in emerging technologies such as 5G, AI, cloud computing, networking, and problem-solving, enabling them to develop innovative solutions to real-world challenges. She commended Huawei Technologies Uganda for their generosity and tireless efforts to give back to Ugandans through such initiatives which is alignment with their slogan, A Better U for a Better Uganda. “We cannot wait to apply the knowledge and insights gained from this program to contribute to sustainable development, social impact, and youth empowerment in Uganda. Surely as Ugandans we are not being left behind” remarked Blessed.
The Huawei ICT Competition is a global initiative that aims to encourage young talent to excel in Information and Communications Technology through structured training, industry-level exposure, competitions and driving digital transformation. The Seeds for the Future program promotes ICT industry development in Uganda, and aims to drive long-term economic, social, and environmental sustainability. Through hands-on training in different cutting-edge technologies for example 5G, AI, cloud computing and digital power, the program seeks to close the gap between knowledge learned in the classroom and the skills required by the industry, and enhance knowledge transfer. The 9th Huawei ICT Competition 2024–2025 Global Final attracted more than 150,000 students from over 2,000 universities and colleges across more than 80 countries and regions. These annual ICT competitions offer participants the following benefits;
Cutting-edge Technology Training: Huawei Technologies offers fully sponsored ICT training in advanced areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Computing, Big Data, 5G, Cybersecurity, and IoT, among others.
Certification and Career Advancement: Participants have the opportunity to gain the globally recognized Huawei certifications, which enhances their employability both locally and internationally.
Industry Exposure and Networking: The competition provides students with exposure to real-world ICT scenarios and allows them to connect with industry leaders, opening doors for future collaborations and career opportunities.
University-Industry Collaboration: This initiative strengthens the bond between local universities and Huawei, paving the way for future partnerships in research, innovation, and ICT infrastructure development.
Participants in Uganda have the opportunity to register for one of the following tracks; Network Track: Data Communication Network, Security, WLAN, Routing & Switching and Network Security. Cloud Track: Cloud Computing, Big Data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI). Computing Track: Cloud and Server operating systems based on openEuler, Database Management Systems based on openGauss, and Kunpeng architecture.
Upon successful participation in the national preliminaries and final exams, the winners will represent Uganda in the regional competitions in South Africa and global final competitions in May 2026 in Shenzhen, China. Cash prizes and certificates for top performers with internship and job opportunities awaiting both within Huawei and its partners in the ICT sector.
Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
