Is Meta, Facebook’s Parent Company Exiting Nigeria?

Meta, owners of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is reportedly scaling down its office space in Lagos, Nigeria, suggesting it might be towing the path of several other multinationals who have either downsized operations or exited the country altogether.

Microsoft, Protractor and Gamble, Kimberly-Clark, producers of Huggies diapers, Diageo, owners of Guinness Nigeria, among others have all partially or completely exited Nigeria due to the prevailing economic downturn.

Meta’s decision comes after laying off 20,000 employees globally in mid-2023, including at least 35 in Nigeria. Its engineering team in Lagos, previously consisting of 24 members, was completely axed. 

The company now manages its engineering needs for Nigeria from various global hubs.

According to TechCabal, Meta is in talks with owners of its 15-story office space at Kings Tower in Ikoyi, to reduce the space it currently occupies in the building. 

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The current rent at the Tower is $800 per square meter per year. Meta plans to implement desk sharing for its employees, reflecting a shift towards more flexible work arrangements.

“We regularly review our office spaces to ensure they suit the needs of the business, and the office in Nigeria is no different,” the company said in a statement.

Microsoft’s ‘exit

In May, Microsoft shut down its $100 million engineering hub, African Development Centre (ADC), in Nigeria citing “organisational and workforce adjustments.” 

More than 200 employees were reportedly laid off following the closure. 

An inside source at Microsoft Africa confirmed the layoffs to Business Elites Africa on the phone but didn’t specify the number. 

“The employees at the Africa Development Centre in Nigeria will be impacted,” the source said.

The tech giant, however, stated that the ADC in Kenya will continue to function optimally.