A Global Platform for ICT Excellence
Now in its ninth edition, the Huawei ICT Competition has grown exponentially, attracting an unprecedented 210,000 students and instructors from over 2,000 institutions across more than 100 countries and regions, including a strong contingent from Nigeria. Following rigorous national and regional qualifying rounds, 179 elite teams from 48 countries converged in Shenzhen for the global final, held from May 20 to May 23, 2025.
The Huawei ICT Competition serves as an invaluable international platform for students and educators to enhance their ICT knowledge, refine practical skills, and foster innovation using cutting-edge technologies. Since its inception in 2015, its momentum has been undeniable, with increasing participation year after year. Its significance is further highlighted by its recognition as a national competition for university students in China and as a key flagship program by UNESCO's Global Skills Academy.
Grand Victories Across Diverse Tracks
The intense competition spanned three primary tracks: Practice, Innovation, and Programming. Out of these, 18 outstanding teams from nine nations—China, Nigeria, Algeria, Brazil, Philippines, Morocco, Serbia, Tanzania, and Singapore—were awarded the prestigious Grand Prizes.
In the highly competitive Practice Competition – Network Track, a Grand Prize was notably awarded to a team from the Federal University of Technology Minna, Nigeria, sharing the honor with teams from China, Brazil, and Tanzania.
Another triumphant moment for Nigeria came in the Practice Competition – Computing Track, where another team from the Federal University of Technology Minna secured a Grand Prize, standing alongside winners from China, Algeria, and the Philippines.
Other Grand Prize recipients included teams from the Philippines, China, Serbia, and Morocco in the Innovation Competition; teams from the Philippines, Algeria, China, and Singapore in the Practice Competition – Cloud Track; and a team from China in the Programming Competition.
Recognizing Beyond Technical Prowess
Beyond the core competition, special awards were presented to acknowledge exceptional contributions. These included the Women in Technology Award, the Green Development Award, and the Most Valuable Instructor Award. The Women in Technology Award celebrated four all-female teams from Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Kenya. The University of Ghana received the Green Development Award for their innovative approach to sustainable development. The Most Valuable Instructor Award honored 18 distinguished instructors from 10 countries, including Nigeria, for their invaluable dedication to ICT education.
Huawei's Vision for an Intelligent Future
Addressing the closing and awards ceremony, Ritchie Peng, Director of ICT Strategy and Business Development at Huawei, emphasized the competition's role in "learning through competition and inspiring innovation through competition." He highlighted how the Practice Competition aligns with Huawei's "Intelligent World 2030" vision, encouraging students to master vital fields like cloud computing, big data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to drive societal progress. The Innovation Competition, he added, focused on critical themes such as green development and digital inclusion, motivating participants to leverage ICT to solve real-world challenges in diverse sectors like agriculture, healthcare, and education.
With the accelerating pace of digital transformation globally, the demand for skilled professionals in areas such as AI, big data, and cybersecurity is soaring. The Huawei ICT Competition, through its multi-track approach and initiatives like industry-academia collaboration, directly addresses the growing talent shortage. These efforts are designed to equip students with in-demand skills, fostering the next generation of tech talent poised to excel in an increasingly intelligent and digital world.
A significant highlight of this year's event was the "AI Accelerating Education Transformation Summit," where experts delved into AI's transformative impact on smart education. Furthermore, Huawei officially unveiled the AI Capability of the Huawei ICT Academy Intelligent Platform, promising a more efficient and accessible learning experience for both educators and students, marking another stride in advancing educational digitalization.
Nigeria's Stellar Performance
Nigerian universities showcased remarkable talent at the global final. Beyond the two Grand Prizes secured by the Federal University of Technology, Minna, other Nigerian teams also achieved significant recognition. A team from the University of Ibadan secured a First Prize in the Cloud technology contest, while Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, earned a First Prize in the AI Innovation contest. In total, 36 teams globally, including those from China, Nigeria, Algeria, Cameroon, Kenya, Malaysia, Brazil, Egypt, Poland, Madagascar, Vietnam, and Jordan, were awarded First Prizes. The competition also recognized 54 teams with Second Prizes and several others with Third Prizes.
The victorious Nigerian students expressed their excitement and gratitude. Victor Olamide Akande from the Federal University of Technology, Minna, whose team won a Grand Prize in the Computing track, remarked on the "amazing experience" and thanked his team and instructors for their support. Tersoo Ushana Ezekiel and Manuwa Bala, members of the Network team from the same university who also clinched a Grand Prize, highlighted the intense competition and their satisfaction in making Nigeria proud. Mr. Knimi Bakna Musa, an instructor from Huawei Academy who mentored the Federal University of Technology, Minna students, lauded their "remarkable achievement," emphasizing the instructors' dedication and the students' exceptional performance.
To provide participants with a holistic experience, Huawei organized insightful tours to its exhibition center, research institute, the IoT Research Centre at Shenzhen University Polytechnic, and the Dongguan Education Bureau.
At the Huawei exhibition center, attendees witnessed cutting-edge technologies aimed at accelerating B2B Techco Evolution, envisioned to connect everyone, homes, and organizations for a fully intelligent world. Displays included an AI-Centric Network designed to drive business success in the digital era, demonstrations of AI as a personal assistant for daily tasks, and the application of AI and 5.5G for rapid text-to-video conversion. The center also showcased 5G base stations for remote access and Huawei's innovative use of 5.5G technology for small and medium businesses to control robots for customer assistance.
The visit to the IoT Research Centre at Shenzhen University Polytechnic highlighted the collaboration between the Huawei ICT Academy and the university in training digital technology talents. This center supports talent development in technology skills, with the Huawei ICT Academy offering a certification program. Since 2006, over 250,000 students have been trained, and over 400 have achieved Huawei's highest certification, with certified students often finding employment opportunities with Huawei. The center's digital training lab is equipped for 3G, 4G, and 5G technologies, showcasing the university's commitment to vocational training and its belief in the global replicability of the Huawei technology model.
Prof. Song Rong, Dean of the School of Electronics and Information Engineering, Shenzhen Polytechnic University, underscored the Huawei Global ICT Competition as a vital initiative for advancing technology in education. He emphasized the university's efforts to enhance computing capacity, drive AI development, and integrate AI into teaching and learning. Prof. Rong encouraged African universities to forge partnerships with Huawei Local ICT Academies, suggesting such collaborations could foster exchange programs and accelerate digital transformation. He also addressed potential language barriers, noting that the Chinese-designed curriculum could be translated into English using AI for African countries.
Dongguan's Digital Education Transformation
The tour also included a visit to the Dongguan Education Bureau, where Deputy Directors at the Information Centre, Cheng Qinglei and Du Runjiang, detailed their partnership with Huawei Technology in developing information technology and systems for schools. This collaboration has ensured full digital connectivity for all schools in Dongguan, enabling access to digital teaching and learning resources. They explained how teachers from Dongguan are sent to remote areas to train local educators in effectively utilizing IT platforms, resulting in a significant improvement in the quality of courses.
Runjiang elaborated on the provision of platform accounts and guidance for teachers in remote areas. Qinglei added that the strategic cooperation framework signed in 2019 to build a digital government led to the selection of Huawei Technology as a partner due to its robust technological capabilities. He concluded that Huawei's accumulated technological expertise and systems made it an ideal fit for smart education initiatives.