Microsoft informed staff on 12 October that its Africa Development Centre (ADC) in Nairobi may be closed, leaving fewer than ten of the roughly 400 engineers likely to remain.

The move follows a similar shutdown of the Lagos ADC in May 2024, which was part of the same global restructuring effort.

The Nairobi hub, opened in 2019 and relocated to dedicated premises at Dunhill Towers in March 2022, has housed over 450 full‑time staff working on Microsoft 365, Windows, security and developer tools.

The centre also hosts the Microsoft Africa Research Institute and the Microsoft Garage, though Microsoft has not clarified whether these units will be affected by the proposed changes.

Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for ICT, William Kabogo, met a Microsoft delegation on the same day to raise concerns about job protection, talent retention and investor confidence, and both parties agreed to develop a joint action plan.

Microsoft reiterated that it will continue operating in Kenya and serving regional customers, but it has not disclosed the final number of jobs at risk, the timeline for any closure or whether staff will be redeployed.