Meta Pulls Plug on Contract; Kenyan AI Outsourcer Sama to Lay Off 1,100+ Staff
After Meta ended a major data annotation contract, Kenyan outsourcing firm Sama is set to lay off 1,108 workers in Nairobi. The cuts expose the fragility of impact sourcing, a model that once promised ethical AI labour with fair wages and mental health support. Dependency on a single powerful client has left many without work overnight. Employees who labelled footage for Meta’s AI products now face uncertainty. A recent investigation highlighted the privacy risks and psychological toll of this invisible labour. Despite attempts to renegotiate, Sama proceeded with the reduction under Kenya’s Employment Act. This episode underscores Africa’s transactional role in the global AI chain and raises urgent questions about building a more resilient, locally owned tech economy. Sama says it will offer counselling and transition assistance to affected staff, but the wider future of these digital opportunities remains in doubt.
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