Four Key Reasons Microsoft Visited VP Osibanjo

Burak Gokmen, vice president, Microsoft Middle East and Africa, Sales, Marketing, and Services Group, on Tuesday led Microsoft delegation to Aso Rock on a courtesy visit to Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Vice president of Nigeria.

However, a source at the Presidency told Nigeria CommunicationsWeek that the visit was based on four key areas as present administration continues in search of measures to fulfil its campaign promises.

According to the source, the discussions were basically on how MicroSoft with its programmes in Nigeria can aid the government ‎to developing  youths with right skills for employment in the IT space.

The meeting also discussed capacity building for civil servants; development of achievable ICT programmes for the country and to further Microsoft/Nigeria partnership.

‎A study by the International Data Corporation, (IDC) puts ‎‎Microsoft as contributes over 40% to Nigeria's IT and Economic Growth.‎

The study based on IDC Issue no 378 released by the global IT research firm showcasing the information technology (IT) industry's impact on "job creation, company formation, local IT spending and tax revenues" in 82 countries and regions worldwide, and commissioned by Microsoft, the study covers the areas that comprise 99.5 per cent of the global IT spend with Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa as countries in focus for Africa.

The study predicted that IT spending would create just over seven (7) million new jobs and 100,000 new businesses worldwide over the next four years.

It also predicted that Microsoft-relaated activities would be responsible for almost 15 million jobs in an IT industry of just over 35 million people 42 per cent of total IT employment globally.

‎Kabelo Makwane had in 2014 said,  “We've contributed to 45 000 jobs created within theMicrosoft ecosystem of partners".

Meanwhile, on February 2013, Microsoft Corporation  introduced the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative, a new effort through which the company has actively engaged in Africa’s economic development to improve its global competitiveness.

It is expected that by 2016, the 4Afrika Initiative would have help place tens of millions of smart devices in the hands of African youth, bring 1 million African small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) online, upskill 100,000 members of Africa’s existing workforce, and help an additional 100,000 recent graduates develop employability skills, 75 percent of whom Microsoft will help place in jobs.