International software company, Microsoft, has appointed a new country manager for Nigeria, Emmanuel Onyeje.
Onyeje joins the Microsoft operations in Lagos, replacing Chinenye Mba-Uzoukwu who has left the company to pursue personal interests.
As country manager, Onyeje assumes overall responsibility for Microsoft’s commercial activities in Nigeria, as well as its corporate citizenship initiatives. He will also be responsible for the company’s business in Gambia, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
He will work closely with the current Nigerian management team as well as Thomas Hansen, Microsoft’s general manager for West, East and Central Africa to achieve Microsoft’s objectives for the country and to drive further growth in this key market for the organisation.
The new country manager has nearly 12 years of experience working in the country’s growing technology sector. Prior to his most recent role as general manager for Microsoft West and Central Africa, he held positions as the services manager for the company in Nigeria, as the chief information systems Officer for one of the largest Nigerian banks, and also as an executive at Resourcery, one of Microsoft’s largest partners in Nigeria.
Now that he is back in Nigeria, he is ready to undertake the ongoing challenge within the Microsoft organisation to ensure that the establishment of a thriving Nigerian software ecosystem pioneered under his predecessor is accelerated to the next level.
"Microsoft Nigeria has been steadily building its team over the past two years and I believe that we are now nearing full strength," Onyeje said. "My aim is to build on this success, working alongside a talented and dedicated team.
"With the combination of Microsoft’s strong technology and innovation roadmap, the skilled people we employ and our passion to help Nigerian businesses realise their potential, local organisations and consumers can look forward to the ongoing benefit of accessible and locally-relevant technologies."
Microsoft first opened offices in Nigeria in 2000 and currently has 45 employees in its Abuja and Lagos offices. Microsoft works with many of the largest and best known organisations in the country, to help build the local IT economy and to enable its customers to enhance their productivity and profitability.
Onyeje hopes to bring a fresh outlook to the Nigerian operations – particularly focussing on partner engagement.
