Microsoft is winding down its Nairobi engineering centre on Waiyaki Way, putting about 400 jobs at risk. The company says it will keep operating in Kenya
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Microsoft is winding down its Nairobi engineering centre on Waiyaki Way, putting about 400 jobs at risk. The company says it will keep operating in Kenya.
Microsoft is preparing to close most of its Africa Development Centre (ADC) in Nairobi, putting about 400 engineering jobs at risk.
Employees at the centre, based at Dunhill Towers on Waiyaki Way, were told of the planned changes on Monday, 12 October. Reports say the restructuring could leave fewer than 10 roles at the centre, although Microsoft has not confirmed that the whole hub will shut or given a closure date.
The company said it would continue operating in Kenya and supporting customers across the region. ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo said Microsoft had reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the country and that a joint plan with the ministry was being worked on.
Background
Microsoft announced the ADC in May 2019, with engineering centres in Nairobi and Lagos backed by a planned investment of USD 100 million. The aim was to hire 500 engineers across the two centres by 2023 and build products for Microsoft's global business from Africa.
The Nairobi centre moved into its Waiyaki Way offices in March 2022, when the company said it had more than 450 full-time staff. The Lagos centre was closed in May 2024.
It is not yet clear what the changes mean for the Microsoft Africa Research Institute and the Microsoft Garage, or for the separate USD 1 billion investment in Kenya that Microsoft announced with G42 in May 2024.
For Nairobi's tech sector, the ADC was one of the biggest employers of local software engineers, and its wind-down is a blow to young graduates hoping to join a global company without leaving the country.
Sources: TechMoran, TechCabal and (12 – 13 October 2026).
That was a Kibra News Network report, read by an A I voice.
Microsoft is preparing to close most of its Africa Development Centre (ADC) in Nairobi, putting about 400 engineering jobs at risk.
Employees at the centre, based at Dunhill Towers on Waiyaki Way, were told of the planned changes on Monday, 12 October. Reports say the restructuring could leave fewer than 10 roles at the centre, although Microsoft has not confirmed that the whole hub will shut or given a closure date.
The company said it would continue operating in Kenya and supporting customers across the region. ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo said Microsoft had reaffirmed its long-term commitment to the country and that a joint plan with the ministry was being worked on.
Background
Microsoft announced the ADC in May 2019, with engineering centres in Nairobi and Lagos backed by a planned investment of USD 100 million. The aim was to hire 500 engineers across the two centres by 2023 and build products for Microsoft’s global business from Africa.
The Nairobi centre moved into its Waiyaki Way offices in March 2022, when the company said it had more than 450 full-time staff. The Lagos centre was closed in May 2024.
It is not yet clear what the changes mean for the Microsoft Africa Research Institute and the Microsoft Garage, or for the separate USD 1 billion investment in Kenya that Microsoft announced with G42 in May 2024.
For Nairobi’s tech sector, the ADC was one of the biggest employers of local software engineers, and its wind-down is a blow to young graduates hoping to join a global company without leaving the country.
KNN Newsroom is the staff byline for stories written, rewritten and edited at the Kibra News Network desk. Where a story credits an outside outlet, the original source is linked at the foot of the piece.
