By Peter Omopo
Nigeria has recorded another impressive achievement on the global technology stage, with a team of 15 students winning multiple awards at the 2026 Huawei ICT Global Competition Finals held in China.
The students, drawn from several Nigerian universities, competed in the Network, Cloud, Computing and Innovation categories after progressing through the national and regional stages of the year-long Huawei ICT Academy programme.
The participating institutions included Ahmadu Bello University, Igbinedion University, University of Lagos, Federal University of Technology Minna, University of Port Harcourt and Nasarawa State University.
Announcing the students’ return, Nigeria’s Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani, revealed that Team Nigeria emerged as the most successful country outside China for the third consecutive year.
According to the minister, the Nigerian contingent secured two grand prizes in the Network and Innovation categories, two first-place awards in the Cloud category, and a second-place finish in the Computing category.
Speaking during a reception for the students in Abuja, Tijani praised their outstanding performance, describing it as a reflection of Nigeria’s growing capacity in digital innovation and technology development.
A major highlight of the competition was the performance of the innovation team from Ahmadu Bello University, which developed a solar-powered diagnostic device capable of detecting malaria and intestinal parasites in less than three minutes without requiring internet connectivity.
The project, which leveraged Huawei’s artificial intelligence, cloud and Ascend technologies, was designed to address healthcare challenges in underserved communities while demonstrating the practical application of emerging technologies.
Tijani described the innovation as a powerful example of how young Nigerians are using technology not only to compete globally but also to solve pressing local problems.
He expressed optimism about the future of the student innovators and pledged to connect them with opportunities that would help further develop their ideas and talents.
The minister noted that the achievement underscores Nigeria’s continued progress in digital talent development and highlights the growing impact of technology education initiatives on the country’s youth.
