Tala is cutting up to 10% of its Kenya workforce as the digital lender reorganizes its global operations. With roughly 950 employees in Kenya, that translates to somewhere between 90 and 100 people losing their jobs.
The company says the cuts are driven by a shift toward centralizing functions at its global headquarters, which makes local roles redundant. In plain terms: work that was being done in Kenya will now be handled from one central location elsewhere.
Tala also says it is moving toward an “embedded services” model, where its credit products are bundled into partner platforms like insurance, device financing, or motorcycle loans, rather than being sold directly to customers.
This means the company leans on partners for marketing and customer acquisition, reducing the need for a large local headcount.
READ: Tala Disburses Over 3.5 Million Loans in Kenya Worth KES 240 Billion
Tala has not said which specific roles are affected.
This is not the first time Tala has done this. Just over a year ago, in April 2024, the company cut 28 employees, about 3% of its Kenya workforce. The latest round is significantly larger.
Tala’s announcement also comes shortly after Samasource, an AI data and annotation company based in Nairobi, laid off 1,108 workers after losing a major contract with Meta. That was one of the largest single-round tech layoffs Kenya has seen.
Over the past two years, Kenyan workers have also been caught in broader cuts by Microsoft, Google, and Meta, with AI frequently cited as a factor reshaping how these companies are structured.
READ: Microsoft Slashes 9,100 Jobs in Biggest Layoffs Since 2023
Tala insists the reorganization will not affect its operations in Kenya, meaning it plans to keep serving customers here even as it reduces staff.
