Two hundred young Kenyans from the semi-arid northeast have graduated from a Huawei-supported digital literacy course, marking a milestone in ongoing China–Kenya efforts to bridge the digital skills gap and strengthen youth participation in a knowledge-driven economy.
The six-week training, conducted under Huawei’s flagship DigiTruck initiative, offers hands-on digital skills instruction in areas such as online safety, data privacy, entrepreneurship and basic computing. This solar-powered mobile classroom has travelled to underserved regions across 40 of Kenya’s 47 counties, providing accessible technology education to hard-to-reach communities.
At the graduation ceremony held in Nairobi on Feb. 22, senior government officials, lawmakers and industry representatives highlighted the growing importance of digital literacy as Kenya transitions toward a competitive, inclusive knowledge economy.
“Digital skills are essential for meaningful participation in today’s economy,” said Ummir Bashir, principal secretary in the State Department for Culture, the Arts and Heritage, in remarks underlining youth empowerment as central to national development.
The DigiTruck program, first launched in 2019, builds on a broader set of initiatives by Chinese tech partners to expand digital access and capacity in Kenya. Beyond rural skills training, Huawei and Kenyan institutions have partnered to establish ICT academies and job fairs designed to link tech education with employment opportunities – part of the company’s LEAP (Learn, Engage, Accelerate, Progress) strategy aimed at developing digital talent at scale across the country.
In addition, Chinese enterprises and Kenyan authorities recently inaugurated the China-Africa Regional Cooperation Center for Digital Education at the Open University of Kenya in Konza Technopolis. The center – a product of collaboration with Donghua University, the Open University of China, and the Open University of Kenya – focuses on digital learning, joint academic programs and staff capacity building, expanding Sino-Africa educational cooperation.
Kenyan students have also distinguished themselves on the global stage. In 2025, teams from Kenyan universities excelled in the Huawei ICT Competition held in China, securing top awards in computing, innovation, and networking categories – evidence of rising regional talent in high-tech fields.
Huawei’s digital empowerment work in Kenya is complemented by programs targeting women’s tech inclusion, such as digital skills training in partnership with local NGOs that has equipped hundreds of women in rural areas to participate fully in Kenya’s digital economy.
These educational and skills development initiatives reflect deeper, long-standing bilateral relations between Kenya and China. For decades, China has been one of Kenya’s most significant infrastructural, trade, and economic partners – cooperating on major transport, energy and urban development projects while expanding technology and digital economy cooperation.
Government officials from both countries emphasise that digital transformation efforts not only drive economic growth but also reinforce people-to-people ties through education, workforce development and innovation exchange. “Our cooperation with Chinese partners like Huawei is helping Kenya harness technology for sustainable development,” noted a Kenyan tech official at a recent ICT event.
As Kenya accelerates its digital agenda, programs like DigiTruck signal a shift toward inclusive, community-focused tech access – enabling youth across diverse regions to participate in digital economies now and into the future. By blending infrastructure investment with human capacity building, Sino-Kenya cooperation continues to lay foundations for shared digital prosperity.
