Microsoft hires 50 computer engineers for its Nairobi hub

Technology firm Microsoft has hired 50 of the targeted 100 engineers at its Africa Development Centre (ADC) as the firm sets sights on increased partnerships with indigenous small- and medium-sized businesses.

The IT giant said on Monday the computer science engineers will work on cutting-edge technology tailored for businesses in Africa at the facility opened in Nairobi in May.

“Hiring is happening and depends on the right skills. We are recruiting the best calibres to develop them and work on our products. There are roughly 50 people who have been hired, and this will be doubling in the next few months,” said visiting Microsoft general manager for Middle East and Africa (MEA) Ibrahim Youssry.

“We are also building a new generation of developers who are gaining multinational expertise and international experience which will be useful to the community and Africa.”

The Nairobi centre is Microsoft’s first in Africa, with plans to open a second one in Lagos, Nigeria, before end of the year.

The US multinational announced in May it had committed Sh10 billion for the two centres in the next five years.

Technological innovation has been described as the fourth industrial revolution in the wake of disruptive technology which is the main driver of growth and development for companies and economies.

Some 83 percent of chief executives in Africa cited technological advances as having the most transformative impact on their businesses in the last five years, according to 7th Africa Business Agenda 2019 survey released by audit and consultancy PricewaterhouseCoopers early September.

“The fourth industrial revolution is based on access and hyperscale computing. This is the only way the revolution becomes relevant, impactful and useful to the community,” Mr Youssry said. “If we don’t use this technology, we are not into the new era. This is the working power of any economy. Giving technology to SMEs is positioning them to become large corporations.”

Microsoft in August tapped ex-Equity Bank’s Finserve chief Jack Ngare to be the first managing director of its Nairobi research and development centre.

Mr Ngare has over 15 years in various specialties including management, telecommunications, financial services and emerging technology.