Nigerians praise Microsoft's plan for Nigeria, say it is better than Twitter office in Ghana

Nigerians on social media and beyond are heaping praises on Microsoft’s plan to collaborate with the Nigerian government to empower and train five million Nigerian youths. 

The partnership, which was announced on the 3 May 2021, was brokered by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo who had earlier met with the tech giant in a bid to ensure more youths are given tech opportunities in Nigeria. 

According to Microsoft, the aim of the partnership is to accelerate digital transformation in the most populous black country in the world. 

Announcing the partnership, Mr. Brad Smith, Microsoft President wrote on official his Twitter page: “We believe in the future of Nigeria. That’s why we’re embarking on a series of investments in Nigeria to put tech to work, create jobs, and foster the technology ecosystem across the country.” 

The unprecedented collaboration is said to be anchored on three pillars; increased connectivity, upskilling and job creation, and digital transformation. 

The development has evidently been well received by Nigerians home and abroad, many of whom also believe this is a much greater feat than Twitter setting up their Africa HQ in Ghana. 

Using the hashtag #MicrosoftNaija; a Twitter user, @Ekpesfrancis wrote, “I will pick #MicrosoftNaija which will be creating 27,000 jobs training 5m Nigerians in digital tech with ripple effects on job creation and contribution to economy, providing affordable/free access to internet over Twitter Africa headquarters.” 

This view was shared by another user @bisuclef, who posed the question, “Would you choose Twitter headquarters over Microsoft in Nigeria creating jobs and training 5m Nigerians in digital tech, providing affordable access to internet? Osinbajo made it happen again” 

@PositivePero in his own tweet wrote glowingly of VP Osinbajo’s contribution to the tech sector, noting that “No Nigeria Vice President has ever branded Nigeria positively to foreign investors and tech companies like Prof. Oluyemi Oluleke Osinbajo is doing, just like #MicrosoftNaija, Google, Facebook and so on. When you are not a bribe seeking VP, foreign investors will trust you.” 

Similarly, @Tamunotonye tweeted, “As I’m reading the #MicrosoftNaija plans in Nigeria, I recall Osinbajo’s feat with google partnership that raised 3 million able bodied self-employed Nigerians that are now tech savvy for a stronger digital economy.” 

Valiant Samson Idowu-Alaba, @ValiantNig, in his own comparative analysis stated that “Twitter is worth $4.5bn in market value but Microsoft is worth $2 trillion. Twitter opted for Ghana which is Wailing Wailers' favourite country but Microsoft chose Nigeria Wailers prefer Twitter which is why they are sad but we patriots prefer Microsoft which explains why we are celebrating the big win. Wailers will always lose”

@JayTise who appeared to be chiding an unappreciative faction, wrote, “When Twitter planned to open an office in Ghana, this space was filled with insults for d Nigerian government. Now Osinbajo has initiated a partnership with Microsoft to help Nigeria become a digital economy, atleast 5mil persons to be impacted. They lost their voices #MicrosoftNaija”

Olufemi Adebimpe, with the handle @femiadebimpe, used the avenue to call out mischievous media influencers; “Identify all those media personalities/celebrities who used the Twitter in Ghana story to denigrate Nigeria, who have become silent in the bold move of Microsoft in Nigeria. DO NOT give them or their outlets and the bile they are carrying any entrance into your mind and space.”

Worthy of note here, is the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo’s 2018 visit to Silicon Valley, where he seemed to have successfully wooed the U.S tech community into considering huge investments in Nigeria. 

This was first apparent in Facebook’s Nigeria Initiatives which trained and supported 50,000 students, SMEs and businesses across Nigeria. It also partnered with 5 existing tech hubs in Nigeria. 

Google has since also made available free wifi facilities in about 200 sites in Lagos State and is still in the process of training about 3 million Nigerian youths in tech. 

Microsoft’s partnership with Nigeria is expected to impact 5 million people, bringing over 27,000 employment opportunities and internet for the underserved communities in the 6 Geopolitical Zones of Nigeria.