South African IT veteran Kabelo Makwane takes the post as Microsoft Nigeria country manager just before the West African business joins South Africa and Egypt as a standalone subsidiary.

Currently, Microsoft groups its businesses in Africa into subsidiaries with South Africa and Egypt being standalone units, while Nigeria is currently grouped with the West, East and Central Africa sub-region under Hennie Loubser’s leadership.

But at the start of Microsoft’s upcoming 2015 financial year in July, Nigeria is set to join South Africa and Egypt in being a self-sufficient business unit that manages its own resources.

“Nigeria is extremely important to Microsoft,” Makwane has told ITWeb Africa in an interview.

“It will essentially emerge to report directly into Middle East and Africa.

“That is a very significant move, and a significant show of the importance of the country to Microsoft, and Microsoft’s growth in the African continent,” Makwane told ITWeb Africa.

Microsoft Nigeria is approaching staff numbers of nearly 100 people after being in operation for 13 years, Makwane told ITWeb Africa.

Meanwhile, the Microsoft South Africa office has around 300 staff while the technology giant’s Nigerian revenues are also six times smaller than that of the South African office, according to Makwane.

But Nigeria has a booming economy that has recorded 6% annual growth over the last five years, and a population that surpasses 160 million people.

Microsoft; therefore, is looking to cash in on Nigeria’s rise, which has also resulted in the country being included in the popular MINT emerging markets grouping (which includes Mexico, Indonesia and Turkey).

An adjustment of Nigeria’s economic measurement methods could also result in the country recording a bigger gross domestic product size than that of South Africa this year: a move that could seal Nigeria’s title as Africa’s biggest economy.

“The (Microsoft Nigeria) business has shown significant growth over the last 13 years,” Makwane told ITWeb Africa.

“And also I suppose in the last five years when there has been a lot of investment going into the country.

“And with this move of essentially elevating Nigeria into a standalone subsidiary, it actually means that Microsoft will be focusing more investment in that territory,” Makwane told ITWeb Africa.

Makwane has already taken his post as Nigerian country manager, although, he is in the process of moving to Lagos in the first week of April.

Makwane takes the top post after working for Microsoft for five years in South Africa as a public sector director for the company.

His experience; though, spans working for IT companies in South Africa such as Cisco. He completed a BCom degree at the University of Natal while he also has a MBA from Wits University.

But Makwane’s move as an expatriate to Nigeria is set bring on new experiences for him.

“I am coming in as a bit of an outsider to be honest,” Mawane told ITWeb Africa.

“But at the same time I’ve taken the time to study the technology sector a little bit in terms of maturity…the challenges and so forth,” he added.

Nigeria technology expert, commentator and ICT for Development (ICT4D) consultant.'Gbenga Sesan has told ITWeb Africa that Microsoft’s move to hire a South African in a key West African role could have its benefits and challenges.

“This is the 21st century, so anyone in the global village can earn a leadership role anywhere else as long as their skills are required,” Sesan told ITWeb Africa.

“The only challenge is with context.

“Regardless of how much expertise anyone has, they need to understand the local context. I believe he's surrounded by a team that knows context,” Sesan concluded.