Abuja: Igbinedion University, Okada (IUO), Edo, has emerged as the overall winner in Sub-Saharan Africa at the Huawei ICT Competition.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, this achievement was announced in a statement by the university’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, Mr. Lucky Eboh. The university secured the grand prize in the Network Track category, earning a place at the global final in China.
Eboh explained that the Network Track challenges participants on communication networks, routing, switching, cybersecurity, and emerging technologies such as 5G and cloud integration. The university excelled against competitors from across the region to clinch first place.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that this feat marks a significant milestone, as IUO is the only private university from Nigeria to reach this stage of the competition. The victory qualifies the team to represent Nigeria at the global final, where it will compete against top-performing teams from Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas, and other regions.
The competition is organised annually by Huawei in partnership with universities and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation – International Bureau of Education (UNESCO-IBE). It focuses on developing practical digital skills in networking, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and other emerging trends.
The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Lawrence Ezemonye, noted that the achievement underscores a growing shift in Nigeria’s ICT talent landscape, with private institutions increasingly contributing to digital innovation and skills development. Ezemonye attributed the university’s success to sustained investment in ICT training and strategic partnerships, including the establishment of Huawei ICT Academies to bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry demands.
He mentioned that with the global final ahead, the team is expected to compete against the best young tech talents worldwide, positioning Nigeria once again on the global ICT map.