NAIROBI, April 17 – Samasource Impact Sourcing Inc. (Sama) has issued redundancy notices to 1,108 employees at its Nairobi delivery centre following the termination of a major contract by Meta.
The Kenya-based outsourcing firm said the affected workers are largely tied to the content moderation and data annotation programme that has now been discontinued with the layoffs expected to take effect later this month, in line with provisions of Kenya’s Employment Act.
The company confirmed that the redundancy process is being carried out under Section 40 of the law, which requires formal notification to employees and relevant authorities.
Sama said it had engaged Meta after receiving the termination notice in an effort to retain the roles, but discussions did not result in a continuation of the contract.
Meta has been one of Sama’s key clients, relying on workers in Nairobi to label and review data used in training artificial intelligence systems. While the company did not disclose the value of the contract, the programme accounted for a significant share of the workforce at the Nairobi site.
The layoffs affect a segment of Kenya’s outsourcing industry that has grown around digital services, particularly data annotation and content moderation. Nairobi has become a hub for such work, with firms positioning the sector as a source of employment for young people.
Sama said it will provide support to affected employees, including counselling and transition assistance, as the process unfolds. The company added that it will continue its core operations in data annotation and model evaluation.
The Meta contract had been among Sama’s largest engagements in Nairobi, supporting work linked to artificial intelligence systems, including projects tied to wearable technology products.
