By Milcah Tanimu
As excitement builds for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, several African countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Botswana, and others, have secured qualification for relay events, showcasing the continent’s athletic prowess on the global stage.
In a different arena, technology giant Microsoft has made the decision to close its Nigerian branch of the African Development Centre (ADC) after a two-year tenure, redirecting its focus to its operations and personnel in Kenya to advance its objectives across Africa.
The closure of the seven-floor Nigerian ADC facility in Ikoyi, Lagos State, comes amidst economic challenges exacerbated by escalating inflation, impacting both local and international businesses and resulting in the displacement of its workforce.
Although a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the closure to Peoples Gazette on Tuesday, the exact number of affected employees remains undisclosed.
Microsoft’s establishment of ADCs in Lagos, Nigeria, and Nairobi, Kenya, in March 2022 aimed to cultivate and employ engineering talents from Nigeria to contribute to the development of Microsoft products, as highlighted by Gafar Lawal, managing director of ADC West Africa.
However, the decision to terminate operations in Nigeria while maintaining business in Kenya has raised concerns, particularly given Microsoft’s previous commitment in 2019 to invest $100 million over five years to bolster its presence in the two West African hubs.
This move adds to a trend of multinational companies, such as UK drug giant GlaxoSmithKline and Procter & Gamble Co., exiting the Nigerian market, prompting reflection on the challenges facing business operations in the region.
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