Africa’s Tech Workers Quietly Rebel As Brutal Layoffs Break Jobs Market

It wasn’t that long ago that a combination of soaring growth in a pandemic-driven tech boom and a favourable macroeconomic environment had tech investors pouring money into startups like never before. And Africa’s thriving tech scene saw its fair share, raising a record USD 4 B in 2021 and minting billion-dollar startups.

Flush with cash and tasked with plenty to build in a bid to capture value across industries in untapped markets, the demand for tech workers surged as recruiters went to work; jostling for the best talent became a new battlefront in a market facing talent gaps.

This fierce ‘talent wars’ drove salaries and perks upwards and gave workers more leeway in negotiating flexible work options. But, that’s up until industry upheavals triggered a reversal of fortunes over the past year and into 2023.

Amos, a digital marketing professional in his late twenties who asked to go by a pseudonym to avoid undue attention, told WT that he was happy to join Sendy Nigeria, the N...