Microsoft Corporation has introduced the Microsoft 4Afrika Initiative M4A, through which it will actively engage in Africa's economic development to improve its global competitiveness.

"We want to empower African youth, entrepreneurs, developers, business and civic leaders to turn great ideas into a reality," said a statement from Fernando de Sousa, the initiative's general manager.

M4A plans to distribute millions of smart devices to African youths, bring one million African small and medium enterprises (SMEs) online, up-skill 100,000 members of Africa's existing workforce and help an additional 100,000 recent graduates develop skills for employability.

In a move to empower SMEs, Microsoft announced a new online hub through which African SMEs will have access to free, relevant products and services from Microsoft and other partners. The hub will aggregate the available services which can help them expand their business locally and find new business opportunities.

The hub is expected to open in April, initially in South Africa and Morocco.