Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is reducing its office space in Lagos after global layoffs in mid-2023 affected its Nigerian team.
According to three people with knowledge of the matter, at least 35 employees were impacted by the layoffs.
The company’s engineering team, which had 24 employees according to a 2022 report, was laid off entirely.
A company spokesperson told TechCabal via email that engineers would continue to serve the region from various global engineering hubs outside Nigeria.
However, the spokesperson declined to specify how many Nigerian employees were affected by the 2023 layoffs, which reduced Meta’s global headcount by 20,000.
Due to the reduction in team size, Meta is renegotiating its tenancy agreement for office space in the 15-story Kings Tower building in Ikoyi, Lagos.
“We routinely assess our office spaces to ensure they meet our business needs, and the office in Nigeria is no exception,” Meta stated.
“As we downsize our real estate footprint, we’re moving towards desk sharing for employees who primarily work outside the office.”
Despite Meta’s denial of any scaling back, its recent decision represents a notable shift for a company that has consistently invested in Nigeria and emphasised its priority on the West African nation.
During his visit in March 2024, Nick Clegg, Meta’s President of Global Affairs, announced plans to introduce monetisation options for creators starting Q3 2024.
He commended Nigerian creators for their global recognition and highlighted their use of Meta platforms to build communities. Nigeria reportedly boasts around 43 million Facebook users, according to Statista data.
Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether these user numbers have translated into significant revenue growth, as Meta includes Africa’s revenue in its broader “Rest of World” category.
Other major tech firms have also made significant operational adjustments in Nigeria. Microsoft, for instance, shuttered its African Development Centre and slashed over 100 engineering roles in May 2024.
Despite maintaining operations in Nigeria, the company opted to channel a multi-billion dollar investment in data centers towards Kenya instead.
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