ICT services provider Huawei has launched a competition for Ugandas youth that will encourage them to develop Android software applications that address local needs
Students from Makerere, Kyambogo and Kampala International Universities will participate in the Huawei Android Applications Challenge (HAAC), which is aimed at supporting creativity and technological innovations.
Huawei Uganda chief executive officer Yang Yang said, “We hope that through such initiatives, we can continue tapping and promoting local talents, especially in the universities, to increase localised content, spur growth and development towards the improvement of ICT in Uganda.”
Statistics from the country's Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology showed that there were about 14 million Ugandans who own at least a mobile phone.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony, the state minister for information and communication technology, Nyombi Thembo, said, “Uganda is poised to become an ICT hub following its efforts to encourage higher education.
“I would like to commend Huawei for this initiative to address the challenge for local content. The majority of Ugandans now have access to the Internet, many of whom access the Web through their mobile phones.
“It is now time to develop services and products to reach these millions of Ugandans through new media,” Nyombi added.
As part of another ICT partnership between Makerere University and Huawei, that aims to boost ICT knowledge at the university, the company will send 10 students and tutors on a week-long ICT specialised training course at the Huawei Training Centre in Nairobi.
“Uganda has many investment opportunities and ICT is a huge area,” said Yang. “There is potential in Uganda. It has a huge population and a market that is growing fast because of the oil prospects therefore the need for more technology.”
