Global technology company Meta has implemented another round of job cuts, affecting 3,600 employees worldwide, including staff in Nigeria and other African offices. The layoffs, announced through an internal memo, excluded employees in Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands. Affected employees in Africa, Asia, and parts of Europe will receive termination notices between February 11 and 18, 2025.
A Meta spokesperson for sub-Saharan Africa described the layoffs as part of the company’s routine performance-based adjustments but did not disclose the exact number of impacted African employees. “We have communicated transparently that, following our recent performance review cycle, we plan to exit our lowest-performing employees,” the spokesperson stated. “We have the highest confidence in the fairness and robustness of our performance review process leading to these decisions, and impacted employees are being provided with generous severance packages.”
Affected employees will receive 16 weeks of base pay, plus an additional two weeks per year of service, full payment for unused paid time off, six months of healthcare benefits, three months of career support and immigration assistance for employees requiring visa-related support.
The latest layoffs align with Meta’s increasing focus on artificial intelligence (AI) as the company redirects resources toward automation and efficiency. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has declared 2024 the “year of efficiency,” emphasizing efforts to streamline operations and reduce costs in non-priority areas.
In 2025, Meta plans to invest between $60 billion and $65 billion in capital expenditures, prioritizing AI infrastructure, data centers, and specialized chips to support advanced AI models. This reflects a broader industry trend, as major tech firms collectively plan over $300 billion in AI-related investments this year.
The job reductions primarily affect employees who received low scores in performance reviews, with Meta tightening its internal efficiency standards. While the company frames these dismissals as routine, impacted employees in Nigeria, Africa, and beyond now face uncertainty as the tech industry undergoes a rapid transformation.
