Huawei Technologies Uganda, in partnership with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Office of the President, has launched the 2026–2027 Huawei ICT Competition, giving university and college students an opportunity to develop their technology skills and compete at international level.
The competition was launched at an event in Nakasero, Kampala, presided over by the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation, Hon. Eng. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki. It aims to equip young Ugandans with practical ICT skills, encourage innovation and prepare them for employment opportunities in the growing digital economy.
Now in its 11th edition, the competition brings together students from universities and colleges to test and improve their knowledge in networking, cloud computing, computing and artificial intelligence (AI) innovation.
The initiative also seeks to bridge the gap between what students learn in universities and the technical skills required by employers in the technology industry.
Speaking at the launch, Akiiki said developing Uganda’s digital talent requires close cooperation between government, universities and technology companies. He noted that partnerships with industry players such as Huawei provide young people with opportunities to acquire practical skills and develop solutions that can support national development.
The minister challenged stakeholders to invest in young people by providing them with the knowledge, training and opportunities needed to compete in the global technology industry.
He also urged students to use their technical knowledge to address challenges affecting communities rather than concentrating only on academic achievements.
“I believe our young people have the talent and creativity to develop solutions that address local challenges while competing on the international stage. What is important is creating opportunities for them to learn, experiment, innovate and translate their knowledge into practical applications through initiatives such as this competition,” he said.
Huawei Technologies Uganda Country Director Edward Zhang Hao thanked the government for supporting initiatives aimed at developing local ICT skills and promoting innovation.
Zhang said the competition goes beyond testing students’ academic knowledge, as it exposes them to technologies used in the industry and provides opportunities to obtain internationally recognised Huawei certifications.
He added that participants can also benefit from internship and employment opportunities within the technology sector.
Zhang encouraged students to make use of their time at university to strengthen their technical abilities, participate in practical innovation projects and take advantage of learning opportunities available through Huawei’s Talent Platform.
He further urged them to engage with communities to understand the challenges people face and develop technology-based solutions that address real problems.
The launch was also attended by delegations from Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) and Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), whose students performed well in the previous edition of the competition.
Mountains of the Moon University won the Global Second Prize in the Innovation Track, while Uganda Martyrs University secured the Global Third Prize in the Computing Track.
The two university delegations were led by their Vice Chancellors, Prof. Pius Coxwell Achanga and Prof. Patrick E. Kyamanywa, respectively.
Prof. Achanga congratulated Aaron Masendi, Elvis Oko and Wasswa Atibu, students from the Faculty of Science, Technology and Innovation at Mountains of the Moon University, who won the Global Second Prize in the AI Innovation Track during the 2025–2026 global finals.
The students developed a solution called AgriChain, which seeks to address the difficulties smallholder farmers face in accessing financing from commercial banks.
The innovation combines artificial intelligence-based predictions of crop yields before harvest with blockchain technology to create digital tokens representing expected agricultural produce. These tokens are designed to provide verifiable collateral that farmers could use to improve their chances of securing bank loans.
Prof. Achanga said the achievement demonstrated the ability of Ugandan students to develop technology that addresses local challenges and encouraged more young people to participate in innovation programmes.
Under the competition’s selection process, students will first participate in preliminary and national rounds. Those who qualify will represent Uganda at the African regional finals in South Africa, where they will compete against participants from 17 other African countries.
The best performers will then have an opportunity to represent Uganda at the global finals in Shenzhen, China.
Registration for the 2026–2027 competition is now open to eligible university and college students across the country.
Organised under the theme “Connection, Glory, Future”, the Huawei ICT Competition is an international initiative designed to strengthen ICT skills, promote technological innovation and improve cooperation between universities and the technology industry.
Through the competition, Huawei and its government and university partners seek to develop a skilled generation of technology professionals capable of contributing to Uganda’s digital transformation and competing in the global technology industry.
