We look back at 2019 and acknowledge the year had some amazing surprises and announcements from Microsoft. Especially in the Africa and Middle East region where we focus. Let’s take you through some of these exciting moments through pictures.
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Team Athena-IO from Tunisia, came in second place at the Europe Middle East and Africa Imagine Cup regional final championship qualifying round.
Microsoft opens second Policy Innovation Centre in partnership with the University of Pretoria and the South Africa Department of Science and Technology.
Microsoft is announcing the Windows PC Affordability in Africa Initiative, together with its OEM partners. A bold move to reduce pirating of Microsoft software in emerging markets.
Microsoft announced the initiative at a press briefing held in its Bryanston office in Johannesburg. The initiative, Microsoft says aims to “reduce the prevalence of Microsoft software piracy in Africa“.
we aim to educate consumers on the risks of using pirated software
Through the Initiative, “we aim to educate consumers on the risks of using pirated software” shares Bradley Hopkinson, Vice President, Consumer & Device Sales, Microsoft. He continues that Microsoft will “work with our PC ecosystem partners includingAcer, Asus, Dell, Intel, Lenovo, Mustek and SMD to make Genuine Windows 10 PCs more affordable across Africa“.
Affordable devices under the Windows PC Affordability in Africa Initiative
Acer, Asus, Dell, Intel, Lenovo, SMD Technologies, Mustek are OEM partners working with Microsoft to build the affordable devices. This list can increase over the coming years. Windows 10 PCs under the initiative will range from about 150$ to 500$. Covering low to high end specifications. Acer Swift 3, Dell Latitude 3390, Connex Slim Book 2, HP 14 S are some of the early devices announced.
Microsoft’s Windows PC Affordability in Africa Initiative is currently focusing on genuine Windows 10 rollout at the moment. The company might include other products like Microsoft Office in the future.
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Microsoft’s open source team hosted the first open cloud summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. The summit powered by Microsoft Azure, showcased some of the most innovative open source technologies in the Azure cloud. Microsoft South Africa, Azure Business Group Lead, Johannes Kanis revealed key momentum and engagements of customers since opening of the Microsoft Africa Datacenter.
Joe noted that since the arrival of the datacenters Microsoft has seen thousands of customers using the service. “We are experiencing double digit growth month on month” he continued. “We are continuing to bring in more advanced services. Particularly at this event we talked about Openshift on Azure, which in the coming weekswill be live in the South African datacenters as well“.
He expressed excitement at seeing customers maturing their products in terms of cloud usage in the Microsoft Africa Datacenter. Using services like serverless and containers.
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Microsoft says skills development remains at the heart of its mission to empower everyone to achieve more. Doing this through a combination of strategic partnerships, trainings, real-world experiences and online classrooms environments. The company also says it provides future skills to those entering the industry and those already in the workforce.
Microsoft LEAP Engineering Acceleration Program (LEAP) is an initiative led by the Global Innovation Team and sponsored by Kevin Scott, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft.
Akin Banuso, Microsoft Country Manager Nigeria and Ghana, notes that Microsoft believes in contributing to human capital development, empowering the youth and creating opportunities for individuals and organisations. As this will cultivate an environment that allows for growth of the knowledge-based economy.
“As a technology company, we are acutely aware of the responsibility we have to ensure all workers have a path to gain relevant skills. No matter where they are in their careers. For this reason, we will continue to – in partnership with non-profit organisations, government bodies, learning institutions and other entities – empower those already in the workforce with the capabilities needed to ensure financial stability, economic prosperity and opportunities for personal growth.”
The ladies in the software apprenticeship program will firstly receive 4 weeks of classroom training on Software Support Engineering. Then 12 weeks of hands-on projects training involving real life scenarios at partner organization Tek Experts.
Ten female developers will participate in the first cohort of the Microsoft LEAP Program in Nigeria. They will recieve sixteen weeks of training in technical support software engineering roles.
Microsoft Leap Hackathon in Nigeria
This is part of Microsoft‘s plans to encourage diversity and inclusivity in software engineering roles in Nigeria. Microsoft LEAP has started in Nigeria with the intention of getting more females into technology. Princess Anya, Microsoft Business program Manager, Global talent Innovation in charge of Microsoft Leap Program West Africa, tells me.
The LEAP Engineering Acceleration Program is a Microsoft initiative that tries to increase diversity. Bringing more women into software engineering roles. By providing them with real world experience through development and project management apprenticeships with hands-on projects.
Speaking to me about the program, Princess Anya, shares that the ladies will undergo four weeks of classroom and labs training. After which they will proceed to do twelve weeks of hands-on project sessions. Where they handle projects with guidance from mentors.
At the end of the 16 weeks LEAP apprenticeship program, the ladies will join Microsoft partner Tek Experts as full time employees. Where they will work as support Software Engineers, supporting customers with Microsoft Solutions.
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Microsoft Commercial Partners Lead SA, Lionel Moyal has assured partners that Microsoft will continue to invest in the Africa datacenters. He was speaking to Microsoft partners at the fy19 South Africa partner awards in Johannesburg.
He shared Microsoft’s commitments to about three hundred Microsoft partners.
Microsoft will continue to invest in and grow the services in the local datacenters. While skills development remains a key priority for the organisation. In our industry, partnership is everything. Thanks to your work, together we can support organisations and businesses to thrive in this Fourth Industrial Revolution.
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Check out other stories making the news in the technology ecosystem in Africa and the Middle East.
