IBM, an American technology company, is exiting Nigeria, Ghana, and other key African markets, transferring its regional functions to a third-party company.

The company joins a growing list of technology companies exiting or reducing their presence in Nigeria. In 2024, Meta and Microsoft reduced their physical presence in the country, scaling back their office spaces and transitioning to desk sharing for workers.

Microsoft shut down its Africa Development Centre with over 100 engineers, leaving less than five behind. IBM’s move is part of a new operating model that it will implement in select African countries, effective April 1, 2025.

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Under this new agreement, IBM will transfer its regional functions to MIBB, a subsidiary of Midis Group, a multinational IT and telecommunications conglomerate operating across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

“MIBB will market and sell IBM products and services in 36 African countries, thereby giving MIBB’s sales network direct access to IBM products, services, and support, further boosting innovation and growth in the region,” the company said in a statement.

This brings an end to the company’s over 50-year existence in Nigeria. In 1963, it set up an educational centre at the University of Ibadan, helping to build digital capacity. The company was integral to the growth of the technology landscape, providing infrastructure and consulting services to industries such as education, banking, telecommunications, oil and gas, and government.

However, increasing competition from companies like Dell and Huawei has shrunk IBM’s client base. Also, this is not the first time IBM is exiting Nigeria.