President Kenyatta opens Microsoft Africa Development Centre in Nairobi [Photos]

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday evening presided over the official launch of the Microsoft Africa Development Centre (ADC) in Westlands, Nairobi.

Microsoft, an American technology giant, set up the ADC in Kenya to provide an environment for African techies to develop solutions to address local and global challenges.

President Kenyatta was accompanied by ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru and toured the facility which is hosting over 450 developers working on different applications.

President Uhruru Kenyatta opens Microsoft Africa Development Centre in Nairobi Pulse Live Kenya

The Nairobi Microsoft ADC, housed in the iconic Dunhill Towers, is one of two such facilities on the continent. The other facility was recently launched in Lagos, Nigeria.

It is designed to be a platform for world-class African talent to create technology solutions for local and global impact.

President Kenyatta said that the facility was an acknowledgement by the international tech community that Kenya have comeptitive capacity and capabilities.

President Uhruru Kenyatta opens Microsoft Africa Development Centre in Nairobi Pulse Live Kenya

"The launch today positions Kenya as a tech hub in Africa, more-so as technology takes the center stage in the global economy,” President Kenyatta said.

"This investment will prepare our young people for a dignified digital future,” he added.

During his address, President Kenyatta cracked a joke that the Microsoft ADC Managing Director Jack Ngare has promised to find him a job after finishing his term in August.

President Uhruru Kenyatta opens Microsoft Africa Development Centre in Nairobi Pulse Live Kenya

“Your MD has promised me a job in a few months time…I hope I am not above the average age,” Uhuru quipped.

The facility also has smart features such as an elaborate has solar system which powers the office, art pieces and inspiring decor.

''ADC will house over 450 full-time engineers working in areas such as software engineering, machine learning, data science, market research, infrastructure, and much more, '' the ADC MD Jack Ngare said.

He added that the Microsoft Africa Research Institute would also establish its headquarters in Nairobi.

"At Microsoft, we have always hired the smartest engineers we can find. That's why we came to Kenya," Joy Chik who is the Corporate Vice President of Engineering, Enterprise Mobility and Security at Microsoft praised.