Microsoft’s Africa Development Centre (ADC) in Nairobi is reported to be closing its engineering operations, putting about 400 jobs at risk.
Employees were informed of the planned closure on Monday, October 12, 2026, according to CIO Africa citing an employee source.
Microsoft acknowledged that its global restructuring has impacted the Kenyan engineering department but did not confirm a full closure, with a spokesperson saying the “proposed changes” have “impacted the engineering department in Kenya” and that the company will continue operating in Kenya and supporting regional customers.
On the same day, Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo met a Microsoft delegation led by Jeff Bullwinkel, vice-president and deputy general counsel for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and including Angela Ng’ang’a, Microsoft’s East Africa lead.
Kabogo said Microsoft briefed him on its evolving operations, he urged protection of jobs at the Nairobi engineering centre, retention of local talent and maintenance of investor confidence, and noted Microsoft reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Kenya.
The Nairobi centre was announced in May 2019 as part of a $100 million five-year investment to build African engineering talent, with Nairobi and Lagos as the initial hubs.
The centre opened in March 2022 in Dunhill Towers, Westlands, and at that time housed more than 450 full-time engineers and product leaders working on Microsoft 365, identity, Windows, security and developer tools, as well as Microsoft Garage and the Microsoft Africa Research Institute.
Catherine Muraga became managing director of the ADC in June 2022.
Microsoft’s Lagos ADC was closed in May 2024, a decision that did not affect the Nairobi hub at the time.
Microsoft’s broader Kenya commitments include a $1 billion partnership with G42 announced in May 2024 for digital infrastructure, cloud services and skills development, which remains separate from the engineering operation.
Microsoft has not disclosed the final number of staff affected, the timetable for any shutdown or whether any engineers will be transferred to other teams or locations.
Earlier employee complaints in September 2026 described performance improvement plans and voluntary exit offers, but it is not established that these relate to the reported closure.
The outcome will determine whether the engineering workforce is dispersed, absorbed elsewhere or retained, and will influence perceptions of Kenya’s attractiveness for specialised technology work.
