Microsoft to shut Nairobi engineering centre, putting hundreds of jobs at risk
It would unwind a project built on the promise that African engineers could build products for global markets without leaving the continent.
Microsoft is set to shut down its Nairobi engineering hub, potentially impacting over 400 jobs. The move reverses seven years of efforts to establish Kenya as a global technology engineering hub. Employees were informed of the potential closure and exit options during a meeting on Monday, with discussions expected to focus on severance terms.
Microsoft maintains a commitment to Kenya and will retain a small number of staff. The closure follows a similar decision in Lagos, though it is unclear if the closure is directly linked to recent global workforce reductions. The Nairobi center opened in 2019 with a goal of employing 100 engineers by the end of 2019 and growing to 500 by 2023.
The company's decision to close the hub raises questions about its long-term strategy for engineering in Africa and the fate of the specialized talent developed through the initiative.
Written by urgent.news from TechCabal's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
