Which sectors are affected by the CMA’s investigation?

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) of the United Kingdom is examining Microsoft's dominant position in five key professional software sectors: PC operating systems, office suites (such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint), security software, server operating systems, and relational database management systems. According to the CMA, Microsoft holds a position of "substantial and entrenched market power," limiting alternatives for customers (source: The Register).

Organizations should be able to choose the products that work best for them, switch providers when they want to, and combine services from different suppliers.

What practices is the CMA targeting?

The investigation highlights several restrictive practices. First, barriers to switching between providers: customers struggle to leave Microsoft’s solutions, particularly due to the high costs of deploying services like Windows Server or SQL Server on non-Microsoft clouds, according to complaints from rivals (source: The Register). The CMA also emphasizes the deep technical integration between Microsoft products, which favors its unified ecosystem (bundled software at discounted prices, native compatibility between Word, Teams, or Copilot).

Additionally, the CMA questions the freedom of choice in AI tools: customers may be prevented from using alternatives to Copilot, Microsoft’s integrated assistant. The Open Cloud Coalition denounces restrictive licensing practices that distort competition in the cloud, increasing costs for businesses (source: Briefs.co).

What reactions are coming from the stakeholders involved?

Microsoft rejects the conclusions of the CMA, stating that its products, including Copilot, are « open and interoperable, » allowing customers to use competing services (source: The Register). The tech giant disputes the notion of abusive market power, highlighting attractive pricing for bundles. Conversely, the Browser Choice Alliance supports the CMA’s proposal, accusing Microsoft of leveraging its dominance in Windows and office suites to promote its Edge browser, even when users prefer alternatives (source: The Register). AWS, an indirect Microsoft partner, acknowledges taking steps to offer greater flexibility to British customers but has not directly commented on the investigation’s findings.

What this means here: implications for businesses and administrations in West Africa

If the CMA enforces rules similar to those proposed in the UK, local organizations could benefit from a more open market, with reduced licensing costs and improved interoperability between competing tools. For example, Beninese ministries using Windows Server or SQL Server could find it easier to migrate to open-source alternatives or local clouds, such as those offered by African players like Liquid Telecom or MTN Business.

African SMEs and startups, often constrained by tight budgets, could also gain access to more competitive solutions if entry barriers are removed. However, transitioning to less integrated ecosystems may require additional user training and partial IT infrastructure overhauls. Administrations, dependent on international standards for cybersecurity, should carefully assess the impact of such reforms on their digital sovereignty, particularly if restrictions are imposed on AI tools like Copilot, widely deployed in public services.