Renowned technology giant, Microsoft, has shut down its Nigerian branch of the African Development Centre (ADC) after two years of operation and now focuses on its facility and staff in Kenya in a bid to achieve the corporation’s goals for the African continent.
Amidst rising inflation that has made Nigeria’s economy hostile to both domestic and foreign firms, Microsoft shut down its seven-floor Nigerian ADC facility in Ikoyi, Lagos State, leaving its staff jobless.
According to Gafar Lawal, the Managing Director of ADC West Africa, Microsoft opened ADC in Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya in March 2022 and expressed optimism about “training, equipping and hiring engineering talents” from Nigeria to “contribute to the development of Microsoft products.”
The closure of the Nigerian ADC has triggered controversies in Nigeria given that in 2019, Microsoft promised to invest $100 million over five years to boost its two West African hubs.
The shutting down of operations in Nigeria while still operating in Kenya left many citizens concerned, especially as other multinational companies like United Kingdom drug giant GlaxoSmithKline, Procter & Gamble Co., PZ Cussons and others have also left Nigeria.