Microsoft is restructuring its engineering operation in Nairobi in a move that staff say amounts to the closure of the company's Africa Development Centre (ADC), putting roughly 400 technology jobs at risk. Employees were informed of the changes on Monday, 12 October, the same day Information, Communications and the Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo met a Microsoft delegation to discuss the company's plans in Kenya.

The US technology company has not formally announced a closure, nor has it said how many workers are affected or when any job losses would take effect. In a statement quoted by several outlets, a Microsoft spokesperson said "proposed changes" linked to the firm's global restructuring had "impacted the engineering department in Kenya", and added that the company would continue to operate in the country and serve customers in the region.

Hundreds of engineers affected

According to TechMoran, staff were told that the changes could leave fewer than 10 of the centre's approximately 400 employees in place. Employees who spoke to CIO Africa, as cited by Techweez, said the whole centre's workforce was affected. Microsoft has not confirmed these figures.

Several questions remained unanswered on Tuesday, including the final number of affected employees, the date on which roles would end, whether some staff would be moved to other teams or countries, and the terms of any exit packages.

The Eastleigh Voice noted that under Kenya's Employment Act, workers declared redundant are entitled to notice, payment for accrued leave and severance pay of not less than 15 days' wages for every completed year of service.

Kabogo presses for local jobs

CS Kabogo met a Microsoft team led by Jeff Bullwinkel, the company's vice president and deputy general counsel for corporate, external and legal affairs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Techweez reported that Angela Ng'ang'a, who heads Microsoft's East Africa operations, was also present.

In a statement after the meeting, Mr Kabogo said the company had briefed him on its "evolving operations in Kenya". He said he had emphasised the need to retain local technical expertise, protect engineering jobs at the Nairobi centre and maintain investor confidence. The two sides agreed to draw up a joint action plan covering areas including artificial intelligence in government, digital public services, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure and skills development.

The CS's statement did not give any figures on job losses, and it was not clear whether the meeting had been called in response to the restructuring.

From flagship hub to restructuring

Microsoft announced the Africa Development Centre in May 2019, naming Nairobi and Lagos as its first two sites and committing about US$100 million over five years. TechMoran reported that the company aimed to hire 500 engineers across the two locations by 2023.

The Nairobi team moved into new offices at Dunhill Towers in Westlands in March 2022, a facility Business Daily reported cost about Ksh3 billion. At the time, the centre had more than 450 full-time staff. Engineers there have worked on products including Microsoft 365, Windows, cybersecurity, identity services and developer tools. The building also hosts Microsoft Research Africa and the Microsoft Garage.

In May 2024, Microsoft confirmed it would close the Lagos centre, leaving Nairobi as the only remaining site of the original pair. In the same month, Microsoft and Abu Dhabi-based G42 announced a planned US$1 billion investment in Kenya covering digital infrastructure, cloud services and skills. TechMoran said Microsoft had not linked the latest changes to that commitment.

Global job cuts

The Nairobi changes come amid a wider round of cost-cutting at Microsoft. In July 2026, the company eliminated about 4,800 roles, mostly in its commercial and Xbox divisions, and in September it announced a further 268 job cuts in its Xbox business, according to The Eastleigh Voice and Techweez.

Microsoft had not issued further details by Tuesday on the timeline or scale of the job losses.

Photos: Coolcaesar / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0; Government of Kenya / Wikimedia Commons, public domain