In a significant setback to Nigeria’s burgeoning tech industry, reports suggest that Microsoft is considering the closure of its African Development Centre based in Lagos.

This move, if confirmed, would have profound implications for the country’s technological landscape, potentially impacting job opportunities and innovation in the sector.

According to industry insiders who spoke to The Guardian newspaper on Tuesday, Microsoft informed staff on Monday of the closure plans.

According to reports from the newspaper, affected employees are slated to receive salary payments up until June and will continue to be covered by health insurance

While the precise motives behind the decision remain ambiguous, sources suggest Nigeria’s challenging economic conditions likely played a role

The closure appears to affect only the ADC’s West Africa operations in Nigeria, not its East Africa facility in Nairobi, Kenya.

Microsoft launched its $100 million African Development Centers initiative in 2019, establishing facilities in both Lagos and Nairobi.

The Nigeria centre employed over 120 engineers upon launch in 2022, growing to more than 200 total staff members.

At the time, Gafar Lawal, Managing Director of Microsoft ADC West Africa, said as quoted by The Guardian, “We intended to recruit 500 full-time engineers by the end of the year or by 2023. However, currently, we have exceeded 500. This is to tell you about the abundance of talents we have in Africa.”

The Lagos Centre was inaugurated to develop innovative technology solutions to address challenges across Africa and globally.

A Microsoft statement stated, “This also creates opportunities for engineers to do meaningful work from their home countries and be plugged into a global engineering and development organisation

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cautioned political parties against the frequent changing of primary election dates, citing disruptions and costs incurred. INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, emphasized the need for parties to adhere to proposed dates and modes of primaries for optimal resource deployment.

The warning came during the first regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja. Yakubu highlighted the upcoming Ondo State governorship primary elections, urging parties to maintain consistency to ensure certainty and efficiency in the electoral process.

He also addressed issues of acrimonious primaries and the emergence of multiple candidates, stressing the need for parties to avoid unnecessary litigations and disruptions. Additionally, INEC revealed that only six out of 16 political parties interested in the Edo governorship election had uploaded candidate details, urging parties to adhere to the Commission’s schedule to avoid last-minute rush and ensure successful nomination of candidates.

In his address during the first regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties in Abuja, INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, expressed concern over the recent trend of frequent changes in primary election dates by political parties.

He emphasized the disruptive and costly nature of such changes and urged parties to adhere to their proposed dates and modes of primaries to ensure efficiency and optimal resource deployment. Yakubu specifically referred to the upcoming Ondo State governorship primary elections scheduled to commence on April 6, 2024, cautioning against last-minute adjustments that could undermine the electoral process.

Yakubu highlighted the need for political parties to conduct primaries without acrimony and avoid the emergence of multiple candidates, which often lead to unnecessary litigations and disputes. He urged parties to find solutions to these challenges to streamline the electoral process and minimize disruptions.

Moreover, Yakubu addressed the issue of parties granting waivers to candidates who recently defected from other political parties, leading to conflicts and legal disputes. He emphasized the need for parties to adhere to the rules and regulations governing candidate nominations to prevent unnecessary legal battles that drain resources and time.

Regarding the Edo State governorship election scheduled for September 21, 2024, INEC revealed that only six out of 16 political parties that expressed interest had uploaded details of their candidates on the Commission’s portal. Yakubu urged parties to adhere to the Commission’s schedule and avoid last-minute rush to ensure successful nomination of candidates within the stipulated timeframe.

Overall, INEC’s message underscored the importance of stability and adherence to electoral timelines by political parties to enhance the integrity and efficiency of the electoral process.