Meta recently implemented job cuts affecting 3,600 employees globally, including staff in Nigeria and other African offices. The terminations were announced in an internal memo, excluding only employees in certain European countries. The affected employees in Africa, Asia, and other parts of Europe will receive their notices between February 11 and 18, 2025.
A Meta spokesperson for sub-Saharan Africa mentioned that the cuts were part of routine performance-based layoffs, with no specific numbers disclosed for the affected African employees. The company assured that the decisions were made based on a performance review process, and impacted employees will receive generous severance packages.
The severance package includes 16 weeks of base pay, with additional weeks based on years of service, full payment for unused paid time off, healthcare benefits for six months, career support for three months, and immigration assistance. This move aligns with Meta’s focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and efforts to enhance automation and efficiency, following CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s declaration of 2024 as the “year of efficiency.”
Meta plans to allocate a significant budget for capital expenditures in 2025, with a substantial portion dedicated to AI infrastructure, data centers, and specialized chips to support advanced AI models. This mirrors a broader trend in the tech industry, with major companies collectively planning significant investments in AI this year.
The job cuts primarily target employees with low performance scores as Meta tightens its internal efficiency standards. While the company presents this as a standard adjustment, affected employees in Nigeria, Africa, and beyond are now facing uncertainties amid the rapid evolution of the tech industry.