Employees say the Nairobi engineering centre will close, while Microsoft has confirmed only proposed changes to its Kenyan engineering department.
Microsoft’s Africa Development Centre (ADC) in Nairobi faces the reported closure of its engineering operations, putting hundreds of Kenyan tech jobs in question. Employees were told on Monday, October 12, 2026, that the centre will close, but Microsoft has not confirmed this.
In a statement, a Microsoft spokesperson described “proposed changes that are part of the global changes within Microsoft” that “have impacted the engineering department in Kenya.” The company said it “will continue operating in the country and will continue supporting its customers in the region.” It did not confirm or deny that the Westlands centre will shut, and said discussions with staff are private.
Government engagement
On the same day, ICT Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo met a Microsoft delegation 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. Kabogo said he stressed “the importance of retaining local talent, protecting jobs at Microsoft’s Nairobi engineering centre and sustaining investor confidence in Kenya’s technology sector.” He said Microsoft briefed him on its Kenyan operations in the context of its global restructuring.
Key questions unanswered
Microsoft has not disclosed how many employees are affected, when the changes would take effect, or whether staff will be offered transfers. Employees say they were asked to meet their managers by Friday, October 16, to discuss exit options, including severance terms. Microsoft has not confirmed this process.
From $100 million pledge to uncertainty
Microsoft announced the ADC in May 2019, with Nairobi and Lagos as its first hubs and a pledge of more than $100 million over five years. The Nairobi centre opened officially in March 2022, and by then employed more than 450 engineers and product leaders. Catherine Muraga was named managing director that June. Microsoft closed its Lagos engineering centre in 2024.
The $100 million was a launch commitment to build engineering capacity, not a measure of jobs now at risk.
What Kenyan law requires
If redundancies proceed, Section 40 of the Employment Act, 2007, sets out safeguards. An employer intending to declare redundancy must give advance notice to the affected employees, or their union, and to the labour officer. Selection must follow fair and objective criteria. Employees must be paid for accrued leave, receive at least one month’s notice or pay in lieu, and be paid severance of no less than the statutory minimum.
No final redundancy decision has been made public, so none of this implies a breach. It describes the legal floor against which any offer should be measured.
Broader Microsoft presence in Kenya
The reported closure concerns the engineering operation only. Microsoft’s wider Kenyan activities continue, including the $1 billion initiative announced with G42 in May 2024 covering digital infrastructure, a data centre and cloud services, and skills development. Angela Ng’ang’a was named East Africa lead in August 2026, following the departure of Kenya Country Manager Phyllis Migwi earlier this year.
What's next?
The outcome will determine whether the centre’s engineers are transferred, absorbed elsewhere in Microsoft, or move into Kenya’s wider technology sector. Employees and investors are waiting for Microsoft to set out numbers, timelines and terms.
