Microsoft is planning job cuts at its Nairobi Africa Development Centre (ADC) as part of changes to its engineering operations in Kenya.
The company informed employees at the facility of the layoff plans on Monday, October 12, according to CIO Africa, amid a broader global restructuring at the technology firm.
Microsoft has acknowledged changes affecting its engineering department in Kenya but has not explicitly confirmed whether it will close the centre.
“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.
Microsoft’s Nairobi Development Centre Faces Possible Closure
The spokesperson said the company was communicating directly with affected employees but declined to discuss the details of the internal process.
“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,” the spokesperson said.
Microsoft maintained that it would continue operating in Kenya, retain employees in the country, and support its digital transformation and innovation ambitions.
“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,” added the official.
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Kabogo Meets Microsoft Officials
The reported developments came as Cabinet Secretary for Information, Communications and the Digital Economy William Kabogo met a Microsoft delegation led by Jeff Bullwinkel, the company’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.
Following the meeting, Kabogo said he had raised concerns about the potential impact of the proposed changes on local employment and investor confidence.
“Microsoft briefed me on its evolving operations in Kenya in the context of its global restructuring. 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.
Kabogo said Microsoft had reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Kenya following the discussions.
The two sides are expected to develop a joint action plan covering artificial intelligence adoption in government, digitisation of public services, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure and digital skills.
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What Microsoft’s Nairobi Centre Does
Microsoft established the Africa Development Centre to build engineering capacity on the continent and enable African technology professionals to contribute to products and services used globally.
The Nairobi facility became one of the company’s key engineering locations in Africa, alongside its centre in Lagos, Nigeria.
Engineers at the centres have worked in areas including software development, cloud technologies and security, contributing to Microsoft’s wider technology operations.
The facilities have also provided opportunities for African engineers to gain experience working on products used by customers around the world.
The reported closure plans come as Kenya seeks to strengthen its position as a regional technology hub and attract investment in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cybersecurity and software development.
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