Microsoft To shut Down Lagos Centre
Tech giant Microsoft is considering shutting down its African Development Centre (ADC) in Ikoyi, Lagos south-west, Nigeria.
Microsoft disclosed to its employees the decision to close its African Development Centre in Lagos, without providing a specific reason for the closure.
As per information from a source within Microsoft, who spoke to newsmen on Tuesday, the closure plans were communicated to staff on Monday. According to reports, affected employees would receive salary payments till June and continue to be covered by health insurance.
However, an unnamed source within Microsoft’s Lagos office neither confirmed nor refuted the closure when approached by the newspaper.
While the exact reasons behind the decision remain ambiguous, sources suggest Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions may have adversely impacted a role in arriving at the decision.
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According to the report, the closure appears to affect only the ADC’s West Africa operations in Nigeria, but not its East Africa facility in Nairobi, Kenya.
Microsoft launched its $100 million African Development Centres initiative in 2019, establishing facilities in Lagos and Nairobi.
Nigeria’s Microsoft ADC employed more than 120 engineers when it was launched in 2022, growing to more than 200 staff members.
The Lagos Centre was inaugurated to develop innovative technology solutions to address challenges across Africa and globally.
“The ADC will be unlike any other existing investment on the continent. It will help us better listen to our customers, develop locally and scale for global impact,” Microsoft executive vice president Phil Spencer said in Nairobi.
“Beyond that, it’s an opportunity to engage further with African partners, academia, governments and developers – driving impact and innovation in sectors important to Africa.”
