Microsoft, a multinational technology giant based in the United States (US), is considering closing its African Development Centre (ADC) in Lagos, Nigeria.
Microsoft revealed to its staff members that it plans to shut down the Lagos ADC, citing Nigeria’s worsening economic conditions as a possible reason.
The ADC, located in the highbrow area of Ikoyi, Lagos, has been operational since 2019 and has hired over 200 staff members, including more than 120 engineers.
Microsoft launched its $100 million ADCs initiative in 2019, establishing facilities in both Lagos and Nairobi, Kenya.
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The ADC aimed to recruit 100 full-time engineers by the end of 2019 and 500 engineers by the end of 2023.
Fortunately, the affected employees will receive salary payments until June and continue to be covered by health insurance.
The closure appears to affect only the ADC’s West Africa operations in Nigeria, leaving the East Africa facility in Nairobi, Kenya, unaffected.
Microsoft had bet on African innovation in fields like fintech, agritech, and off-grid energy, hoping to tap into the continent’s potential.
