Meta’s latest round of job cuts, affecting 3,600 employees worldwide, has also impacted staff in Nigeria and other African offices. The terminations were announced in an internal memo, exempting only employees in Germany, France, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Affected employees in Africa, Asia, and other European regions will receive their termination notices between February 11 and 18, 2025. A Meta spokesperson downplayed the cuts, stating they were part of the company’s routine performance-based layoffs.
Meta declined to disclose the number of affected African employees. “We have communicated transparently that, following our recent performance review cycle, we plan to exit our lowest-performing employees,” the spokesperson said.
The severance package for affected employees includes 16 weeks of base pay, plus additional benefits. The terminations coincide with Meta’s intensified focus on artificial intelligence (AI), as the company shifts resources toward automation and efficiency.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg has declared 2024 the “year of efficiency,” highlighting efforts to streamline operations and reduce costs. Meta plans to allocate $60-65 billion for capital expenditures in 2025, with a substantial portion directed toward AI infrastructure.
This reflects a broader industry trend, with major tech firms planning over $300 billion in AI investments this year. The terminations primarily target employees who received low scores in performance reviews, with Meta tightening its internal efficiency standards.
