The Presidency has denied media reports about the closure of the Africa Development Centre (ADC), a Microsoft’s ambitious initiative in Africa, focused on developing local solutions with global impact while creating employment opportunities and fostering technological innovation on the continent.
LEADERSHIP earlier reported that Microsoft, the American technology giant, has closed the Centre sited in Lagos, Nigeria, and laid off all its workers at the facility.
But, the Presidency said the report was untrue, blaming what it called the ‘incorrect media report’ on the alleged sensationalism of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi.
Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on New Media, Olusegun Dada, who denied the closure of ADC by Microsoft via his X handle on Thursday, said the tech giant was only re-aligning roles within the business, and only few persons will certainly be impacted.
Dada wrote: “The story that Microsoft is shutting down Nigeria office is not true. Africa Development Centre is just a department within Microsoft business in Nigeria. Contrary to incorrect media reports and @PeterObi’s naked dance, the Africa Development Centre is also not shutting down.
“Microsoft, like any other organisation, is only re-aligning roles within the business, and few roles will certainly be impacted. Affected staff, which are less than 30, will be asked to apply for new roles within Microsoft – a standard practice within the organisation.
“Those who can’t find new roles in other departments or those who want to seek new opportunities outside the system will be asked to go. The situation at Microsoft is not anywhere near the impression of the ‘earthquake’ that Peter Obi sensationally described.”