After Lagos, Microsoft Reportedly Moves to Shut Nairobi Engineering Hub
Microsoft is preparing to shut down its Africa Development Centre (ADC) in Nairobi, Kenya, putting hundreds of technology jobs at risk and raising questions about the company’s long-term engineering investment in Africa.
The reported closure follows Microsoft’s decision to shut its Lagos development centre in 2024. Both facilities were established to help African engineers develop technology products for global markets.
According to a report by TechCabal on October 13, 2026, employees at the Nairobi centre were informed of the proposed changes on Monday, October 12. Sources familiar with the development said the company expected fewer than 10 employees to remain at the facility.
However, Microsoft has not explicitly confirmed that the entire engineering centre will close. The company said its global restructuring had affected its Kenyan engineering department and that it would continue operating in Kenya and supporting customers across the region.
Why Microsoft is closing its Nairobi engineering centre
Microsoft established the Africa Development Centre in 2019, selecting Nairobi and Lagos as its initial locations.
The company committed $100 million over five years to expand its engineering capacity in Africa and develop products for international markets.
The Nairobi centre officially opened in March 2022. It grew into a major technology hub, employing hundreds of engineers and product professionals.
The facility gave African technology professionals opportunities to work on Microsoft’s global products without relocating outside the continent.
The reported closure would therefore mark a significant change in the company’s approach to maintaining dedicated engineering operations in Africa.
Microsoft has not publicly explained the specific reasons behind the proposed changes. The decision comes amid a wider global restructuring, but available information does not establish that a particular factor caused the Nairobi development.
What happened to Microsoft’s Lagos centre?
The reported Nairobi closure follows Microsoft’s decision to shut its Africa Development Centre in Lagos in 2024.
The company had initially presented Lagos and Nairobi as complementary hubs for building engineering talent and developing technology for global markets.
The Lagos closure raised concerns about the future of Microsoft’s direct engineering presence in Nigeria.
Now, the reported Nairobi shutdown raises similar questions about Kenya’s technology workforce and the future of the company’s African engineering strategy.
The two closures do not necessarily mean Microsoft is withdrawing all its investments from Africa. However, they represent a major shift for an initiative designed to strengthen the continent’s role in global technology development.
Kenya raises concerns over jobs
Kenya’s government has begun engaging Microsoft over the changes.
On October 12, Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo met a Microsoft delegation led by Jeff Bullwinkel, the company’s vice-president and deputy general counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Kabogo said he stressed the importance of protecting jobs at the Nairobi engineering centre, retaining local talent and maintaining investor confidence.
Microsoft acknowledged that the restructuring had affected its Kenyan engineering department. However, it maintained that it would continue operating in the country.
The company has not publicly disclosed the final number of affected employees, a detailed closure timetable or whether workers will receive opportunities to transfer to other teams or locations.
What the reported closure means for Africa’s tech industry
The proposed shutdown raises concerns about the future of specialised engineering jobs in Africa.
Microsoft’s Nairobi centre recruited skilled professionals and gave them experience working on products used across international markets.
If the engineering operation closes, affected workers will need to consider other employment opportunities, while Kenya could lose a major source of technology jobs.
However, the engineers’ skills could also benefit local companies, startups and other technology employers if they remain in the country.
For Nigeria, the development is particularly notable because Microsoft already closed its Lagos engineering centre in 2024.
The latest report raises questions about how multinational technology companies will balance global restructuring with their commitments to developing local engineering talent.
Microsoft says it remains committed to Kenya and will continue serving customers across the region. The unresolved issue is whether that presence will include the large-scale engineering operations that once made Nairobi a key part of its African technology strategy.