Global tech company, Microsoft, has clarifies the rumour that it plans to shut the Africa Development Centre, in Lagos Nigeria. The firm explained that it was part of its normal organizational workforce adjustments.
A top official at the company told Vanguard in a telephone conversation that the decision has nothing to do with the company running at loss in the country or the country’s economic condition.
The source said: “Microsoft has decided to close the Africa Development Centre in Nigeria. And as a result, some of our employees based in Nigeria will be impacted.
He however said the company will continue to operate in Nigeria. According to him, “We will continue to operate in Nigeria, and we remain committed to Nigeria’s transformation objectives. As such we will continue to invest in our business and key growth areas in the region.
“Organizational and workforce adjustments are a necessary and regular part of managing our business. We will continue to prioritize and invest in strategic growth areas for our future and in support of our customers and partners.“
However, the source revealed that Microsoft will be paying the affected workers their full salaries up until June.
Also, they will continue to be covered by health Insurance.
Microsoft will also ensure the effect of the closure does not hit them so hard.
In May 2019, Microsoft announced plans to establish the Africa Development Center (ADC) in Nigeria and Kenya, with the mission of creating innovative technology not just for Africa, but for the entire world.
Afterwards, there was a call for talented engineers to work on Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, and Mixed Reality, with the company committing to investing 100 million US dollars in the first five years of operation.
In March 2022, it launched the centre in Nigeria, citing it in a $70 million edifice in Ikoyi, Lagos, known as Kings Towers.
The structure is part of the over $200 million it announced to have expended to put up the African Development Center.
The centre has over 200 engineers who are mainly Nigerians, producing wave making digital solutions touted to have the capability of changing the African narrative.
At launch, the ADC West Africa Managing Director, Gafar Lawal said: “The facility will continue our efforts towards training, equipping and hiring engineering talent in Nigeria and West Africa as whole to contribute to the development of Microsoft products that are in use by over 1 billion devices and empowering millions of users and organizations across the world to do more.”
However, it appears that vision may have been disrupted by the sudden closure, which officials have vehemently refused to explain beyond “organizational and workforce adjustments“. (Vanguard)