In a significant setback to Nigeria’s tech industry, there are reports indicating that Microsoft is contemplating the closure of its African Development Centre situated in Lagos. If this decision is finalized, it would result in the displacement of at least 200 employees. Such a move could profoundly impact the country’s technological landscape, potentially diminishing job prospects and stifling innovation in the sector.
According to insiders who spoke to The Guardian newspaper on May 7, Microsoft notified its staff on May 6 about the impending closure. Affected employees are expected to receive salary payments until June and will retain health insurance coverage.
Sources suggest that Nigeria’s challenging economic conditions may have influenced this decision. Notably, the closure is said to affect only the West Africa operations of the ADC in Nigeria, not its counterpart in East Africa located in Nairobi, Kenya.
Microsoft launched its African Development Centers initiative in 2019, committing $100 million and establishing facilities in Lagos and Nairobi. The Nigeria center, inaugurated in 2022, initially employed over 120 engineers and later expanded to a staff of more than 200.
