Microsoft’s Nairobi engineering hub faces closure as Kenya moves to protect jobs at US tech giant

Microsoft’s Nairobi engineering hub faces possible closure after employees reported being told their jobs would end, prompting Kenya’s government to press the US technology company to protect local talent.

• Employees reportedly received notice of plans affecting Microsoft’s Nairobi engineering hub on 12 October.
• Microsoft acknowledges proposed engineering changes but has not explicitly confirmed the centre’s closure.
• Kenya’s technology minister has urged the company to protect jobs and retain local talent.
• The affected headcount and timetable remain unconfirmed.

The development concerns the Africa Development Centre, where engineers contribute to Microsoft products used internationally.

Microsoft has acknowledged proposed changes affecting its engineering operations in Kenya. It says it will continue operating in the country and supporting customers.

The company has not publicly specified the number of affected employees or when the changes would take effect.

According to CIO Africa’s 12 October report⁠, a source who worked at the centre said employees were informed that day that it would close. Microsoft’s response described proposed restructuring without explicitly confirming or denying closure.

Separately, tech-ish reported employee accounts⁠ that staff had been told their roles would end. The publication also obtained a company response acknowledging changes affecting engineering in Kenya.

Kenya seeks to retain engineering talent

Kenya’s technology minister, William Kabogo, met a Microsoft delegation on 12 October and raised the importance of protecting engineering jobs and maintaining investor confidence.

The meeting also covered continued cooperation on digital services and technology. That wider relationship does not resolve the uncertainty surrounding the engineering centre.

"We discussed the adoption of artificial intelligence in Government, the digitisation of government services, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, and digital skills delivered through universities and other institutions. We also discussed Microsoft’s support for the development of the National AI Policy and for Kenya’s innovation ecosystem.

"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. I also reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to a competitive and transparent environment for investment," he wrote on his X account.

African engineers building global products

Microsoft established its Africa Development Centre with initial locations in Nairobi and Lagos. Its original plan envisaged a combined $100 million investment over five years and recruitment expanding to 500 engineers across both locations by 2023.

Those figures were investment and recruitment targets announced at launch, rather than a current valuation or count of threatened jobs. The project was designed to let African engineers contribute to international products while working from the continent.

Microsoft’s engineering website lists work spanning digital identity, Microsoft 365, Windows, security and developer tools. The Nairobi operation therefore represents more than a local sales office, it gives African technical staff a role in building the company’s global services.