Microsoft offers voluntary exit packages to about 60,000 staff
- Microsoft is offering voluntary buyouts to roughly 60,000 employees, about a quarter of its global workforce.
- Staff at vice president level and below in the US, Canada, India and Britain are eligible, a spokesperson said.
- The company says the offer gives workers flexibility as it spends more on artificial intelligence.
Microsoft is offering voluntary exit packages to about 60,000 employees, roughly a quarter of its global workforce, the company said on Monday.
A Microsoft spokesperson said staff at vice president level and below on selected teams in the United States, Canada, India and Britain can apply. Some groups are left out, including some employees working on data centres, sales and marketing.
The offer is the second voluntary buyout the company has made this year. In April, Microsoft reportedly offered early retirement to about seven per cent of its US workforce, and around 30 per cent of those eligible took it, according to CNBC.
Microsoft had 223,000 employees worldwide at the end of June, down from 228,000 at the end of 2025, according to regulatory filings. About 27 per cent of its workforce is eligible for the new offer.
Why it matters for Nigerian tech workers
Microsoft's decision is a signal of where global tech money is going: fewer people in some roles, more spending on artificial intelligence. That shift reaches Nigeria, where many young people work for foreign tech firms remotely, build software for overseas clients or hope to join global companies.
When a giant like Microsoft trims staff, hiring abroad can slow and competition for the jobs that remain gets stiffer. Nigerian developers and support staff who work for multinationals may also see their teams reviewed.
The company did not say how many jobs in each country could go, and the buyout is voluntary, so it is not yet clear how many workers will accept.
Amy Coleman, an executive vice president and chief people officer, told employees in a memo that the offer reflects how the company is changing its approach to change, creating "greater flexibility and, where possible, more ways for employees to shape their next chapter."
Microsoft is expected to report quarterly earnings later this week, when investors will look for details on costs and its artificial intelligence spending.
What happens next
Eligible staff will decide whether to take the package. The company's earnings report later this week should show how the cost-cutting and AI spending are affecting its finances.
