KAMPALA, UGANDA | 10 November 2026 – Huawei Technologies Uganda, in collaboration with the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation under the Office of the President, has officially launched the 2026–2027 Huawei ICT Competition in Nakasero, Kampala. The launch marks another milestone in Huawei’s ongoing efforts to support Uganda’s digital talent development by connecting industry needs, higher education and national digital transformation priorities.
The nationwide initiative aims to strengthen Uganda’s ICT talent ecosystem, bridge the gap between industry requirements and academic training, and equip young people with the technical skills needed to contribute to the country’s growing digital economy.
The launch ceremony was presided over by Hon. Eng. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki, Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation in the Office of the President. The event brought together government officials, industry leaders, diplomats and academic representatives, including delegations from Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) and Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), whose students achieved outstanding results in the previous edition of the competition.
MMU secured the Global Second Prize in the Innovation Track, while UMU won the Global Third Prize in the Computing Track. The respective university delegations were led by their Vice Chancellors, Prof. Pius Coxwell Achanga and Prof. Patrick E. Kyamanywa, who attended the ceremony to celebrate and recognize their students’ achievements.
Now in its 11th edition, the annual Huawei ICT Competition provides university and college students with an international platform to strengthen their theoretical knowledge and practical skills in Networking, Cloud Computing, Computing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation.
Following preliminary and national selection rounds, successful participants will advance to the African regional finals in South Africa, where they will compete with students from 17 other African countries. Outstanding participants will then have the opportunity to represent Uganda at the global finals in Shenzhen, China.
Government Reaffirms Commitment to ICT Skills Development
Speaking at the launch, Hon. Eng. Jonard Asiimwe Akiiki emphasized the importance of technology and skills development in accelerating Uganda’s national development agenda.
He noted that collaboration with industry players such as Huawei plays an important role in nurturing young talent, strengthening ICT capabilities and encouraging innovation among Uganda’s next generation of technology professionals.
The Minister called upon stakeholders across academia, industry and government to invest in young people by equipping them with the digital knowledge, practical skills and technical expertise required to participate in an increasingly technology-driven global economy.
He further emphasized that young innovators should focus on developing practical solutions to address local challenges.
“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 Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment to Uganda’s Digital Talent Development
Mr. Edward Zhang Hao, Country Director of Huawei Technologies Uganda, expressed his sincere appreciation to the Government of Uganda for its continued support and commitment to advancing ICT development and nurturing local talent.
He highlighted that the Huawei ICT Competition goes beyond academic competition by providing students with exposure to real-world technologies, globally recognized Huawei certifications, and pathways to internships and employment opportunities within the growing technology sector.
Mr. Zhang encouraged students participating in the 2026–2027 edition to make the most of their university years by continuously developing their technical skills, utilizing the Huawei Talent Platform and actively participating in practical innovation initiatives.
He also challenged students to focus on real-world problem-solving by engaging directly with communities, understanding the challenges they seek to address, and turning their ideas and technical knowledge into meaningful innovations.
Universities Celebrate Global Achievements and Encourage Innovation
The Vice Chancellors of the two participating universities echoed the Minister’s remarks, highlighting the importance of collaboration between higher education institutions and technology companies such as Huawei in modernizing education and preparing students for the future workforce.
In his remarks, Prof. Pius Coxwell 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 secured the Global Second Prize in the AI Innovation Track at the 2025–2026 Huawei ICT Competition Global Final.
Their innovative solution, “AgriChain,” addresses financing challenges faced by smallholder farmers. By combining pre-harvest AI-based crop yield predictions with blockchain-backed crop tokens, the solution aims to transform anticipated agricultural produce into secure and verifiable collateral, potentially improving farmers’ access to commercial bank loans.
Prof. Achanga encouraged more students and technology enthusiasts to embrace such opportunities and transform their knowledge and creativity into practical solutions that make a meaningful difference in society.
Registration Now Open for the 2026–2027 Competition
Following the official launch, registration is now open to eligible university and college students across Uganda.
The Huawei ICT Competition is a major international technology competition developed by Huawei for university and college students worldwide. Under the theme “Connection, Glory, Future,” the competition aims to promote the healthy development of the ICT talent ecosystem, encourage technological innovation and strengthen collaboration between industry and academia. It challenges students to push their technological boundaries and develop practical problem-solving capabilities.
Through this initiative, Huawei continues to work with the Government of Uganda and higher education institutions to nurture local digital talent, strengthen the country’s ICT ecosystem and support Uganda’s long-term digital transformation ambitions.
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