Microsoft shutting down West Africa operations in Nigeria, 200 jobs at risk — Reports

In a major blow to Nigeria's tech sector, sources have indicated that Microsoft may be shutting down its African Development Centre (ADC) located in Lagos, Nigeria.

According to industry insiders who spoke to Nigerian-based Newspaper, ‘The Guardian’ on Tuesday, May 7, Microsoft informed staff on Monday of the abrupt closure plans.

Affected employees are expected to receive their salaries to June and have their health insurance coverage maintained, added the Newspaper’s report.

However, an anonymous Microsoft source in Lagos neither confirmed nor denied the closure when contacted by the newspaper.

While the exact reasons for the decision remain unclear, sources cited Nigeria's difficult economic situation as a likely factor.

The closure appears to affect only the ADC's West Africa operations in Nigeria, not its East Africa facility in Nairobi, Kenya.

Microsoft launched its $100 million African Development Centers initiative in 2019, establishing facilities in both Lagos and Nairobi.

The Nigeria centre employed over 120 engineers upon launch in 2022, growing to more than 200 total staff members.

At the time, Gafar Lawal, Managing Director of Microsoft ADC West Africa, said as quoted by The Guardian, “We intended to recruit 500 full-time engineers by the end of the year or by 2023. However, currently, we have exceeded 500. This is to tell you about the abundance of talents we have in Africa."

The Lagos centre was commissioned with the aim of developing innovative technology solutions to address challenges across Africa and globally.

A Microsoft statement stated "This also creates opportunities for engineers to do meaningful work from their home countries and be plugged into a global engineering and development organisation."