Tanzania’s brightest ICT Talents head to China with Huawei
From Tunduma to Tanga, Zanzibar to Kagera, or simply crisscross Tanzania with the aim of enhancing Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) landscape, Huawei Tanzania officially launched its 2025–2026 nationwide ICT Competition, a flagship programme aimed at discovering and developing the country’s brightest young tech minds.
For those, who might not know-Huawei’s ICT programmes are a game-changer for Tanzania’s student population. By offering hands-on training in emerging technologies like 5G, AI, and cloud computing, students gain practical skills that go beyond the classroom. Globally recognized certifications boost their employability, both locally and abroad, while internships and job placements create direct career pathways. These initiatives also help bridge the digital skills gap, nurture innovation, and fuel homegrown tech solutions. For a country with a young, ambitious population, Huawei’s support is not just about gadgets, it is about building a future-ready workforce capable of driving Tanzania’s digital transformation from within.
The event, held at the University of Dar es Salaam Library, was graced by Dr Amos Nungu, Director General of Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH). Here, it brought together government officials, Chinese embassy diplomats, Huawei executives, and enthusiastic students all rallying around a shared goal: bridging the gap between academia and industry through technology.
Under the theme “Connection, Glory, Future” and the playful slogan “I.C. the Future,” the Huawei ICT Competition connects universities, training institutions, and young innovators across the globe. In a nutshell, Tanzanian students are no strangers to the winner’s podium: they clinched the Grand Prize in the Network Track and Second Prize in the Computing Track in last year’s global finals.
This year, 10 exceptional students from the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT), and Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) will represent Tanzania in Huawei’s “Seeds for the Future” training programme in Shenzhen, China, from September 15–19, 2025.
In addition to celebrating academic excellence, Huawei Tanzania also awarded 19 students with internships and full-time positions, following their successful completion of the company’s campus recruitment programme. These fresh graduates from UDSM, UDOM, and DIT were selected through a rigorous interview process and will now undergo corporate training as part of Huawei’s talent development pipeline.
The goal? To shape them into the next generation of ICT professionals and that is job-ready, innovation-driven, and fluent in both technology and teamwork.
Taking the microphone while motivating the students to study hard, Dr Nungu, standing in for the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, acknowledged the event as a national milestone. “Today,” he said, “we are not just celebrating competition winners. We are recognizing a system that works-one that transforms ambition into action, and education into employment.”
He emphasized how Huawei’s ICT Academy is not merely a classroom initiative, but a working example of how Government, academia, and private enterprise can team up to deliver results. Real jobs. Real skills. Real change.
A major announcement during the event was the launch of the Huawei Tanzania National Talent Project. This initiative, run in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, aims to create a tech talent pipeline deep enough to power Tanzania’s digital future.
Representing the mighty China at the occasion, Chen Mingjian, China’s Ambassador to Tanzania, offered her congratulations and emphasized the broader impact of such initiatives, saying: “Your mastery of cutting-edge tech inspires us all. I applaud Huawei’s role in reducing Tanzania’s digital skills gap through programmes like Digitruck, Seeds for the Future, Huawei ICT Academy, and this very competition.”
Brain behind the programme, Mr. Dong Xuefeng, Regional Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Huawei Eastern Africa, underlined the company’s mission, adding: “We aim to create spaces where innovation can flourish. Congratulations to all who dared to dream and win.”
Testimonials from the front lines
Natasha Nassoro, an alumna of the Seeds for the Future program, shared her experience, saying: “We worked hands-on with 5G, AI, cloud computing, and more. I’m excited to use these skills to drive sustainable development in Tanzania.”
She added: “With Huawei’s support, Tanzania is not being left behind.”
Now in its 10th edition, the Huawei ICT Competition attracts over 960,000 students from 2,000 and plus institutions across more than 100 countries. It offers far more than trophies namely Hands-On Training in cutting-edge tech: AI, 5G, Cloud, Big Data, Cybersecurity, IoT, Huawei Certifications with global recognition, Networking Opportunities with industry leaders, Real-World Exposure to ICT scenarios, Internships & Jobs for top performers and University-Industry Collaboration for research and innovation.
On competition tracks open for Tanzanian participants, there will be: Network Track: Routing & Switching, WLAN, Network Security, Cloud Track: Cloud Computing, Big Data, AI, Computing Track: Cloud & Server OS (openEuler), Databases (openGauss), Kunpeng Architecture
And what’s next?
Winners from Tanzania’s national rounds will head to the regional competition in South Africa, followed by the Global Finals in Shenzhen, China in May 2026. Prizes include cash awards, certifications, and career opportunities both with Huawei and its global partners and registration is now open online at [ICT Competition – Huawei Talent].
