Microsoft To Close Nairobi Africa Development Centre

Employees at Microsoft’s Africa Development Centre (ADC) in Nairobi were told on Monday 12 October that the engineering Centre will close, a source who worked there told CIO Africa.

“These are proposed changes that are part of the global changes within Microsoft. They have impacted the engineering department in Kenya, but the company will continue operating in the country and will continue supporting its customers in the region,” a Microsoft spokesperson told CIO Africa, adding, “We are communicating directly with employees in Kenya about proposed changes to our engineering operations. We recognise the uncertainty this brings and are keeping those discussions private. Microsoft remains committed to Kenya and will continue to have employees in the country while supporting the country’s ongoing digital transformation and innovation ambitions.”

Microsoft’s “proposed changes” come as the organisation undergoes a broader global restructuring that has affected its workforce in recent weeks. The company has been laying off staff, including at its African operations, as it reviews its structure and operations.

While the spokesperson framed the changes as part of Microsoft’s wider restructuring, the company did not explicitly confirm or deny the closure of the Nairobi Africa Development Centre.

On the same day, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy, William Kabogo, met a Microsoft delegation led by Jeff Bullwinkel, Microsoft’s Vice President and Deputy General Counsel for Corporate, External and Legal Affairs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The delegation also included Microsoft’s East Africa team, led by Angela Ng’ang’a. “I stressed the importance of retaining local talent, protecting jobs at Microsoft’s Nairobi engineering Centre and sustaining investor confidence in Kenya’s technology sector,” Kabogo said.

After the meeting, Kabogo said Microsoft had reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Kenya. The two sides are expected to develop a joint action plan covering AI adoption in government, digitisation of government services, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure and digital skills.

Microsoft’s African Engineering Footprint 

Microsoft established its Africa Development Centre as part of an effort to build engineering capacity on the continent and have African technology professionals contribute to products and services used globally. The Nairobi Centre became one of the company’s key engineering locations in Africa, alongside its facility in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Centres were positioned as part of Microsoft’s investment in African technology talent, with engineers working on areas including software development, cloud technologies, security and other products within Microsoft’s global portfolio.

It also comes at a time when Kenya is seeking to strengthen its position as a regional technology hub and attract investment in areas including AI, cloud computing, cybersecurity and software development. The Nairobi ADC has been part of that ecosystem, employing technology professionals and creating opportunities for Kenyan and other African engineers to work on Microsoft’s global technology products.

CIO Africa will continue to follow developments around Microsoft’s restructuring and its impact on the company’s operations and workforce in Kenya.