Ericsson Nigeria, the local subsidiary of the global telecommunications solutions provider, has laid off about 160 Nigerians, both 55 permanent and 105 outsourced workers, making a total of 160 affected workers. The disengagement takes effect on Sunday, December 4, 2016.
The disengagement letter to the permanent workers signed by the Managing Director of the company, Johan Jemdahi, and obtained by Punch Newspapers, read, “Please be informed that effective December 4, 2016, your position has been declared redundant. We thank you for all your past services to Ericsson. Further information about the redundancy benefits will be communicated to you before the actual termination date.”
The company, when speaking on the matter, confirmed the news through its Public Relations Manager, Sub-Saharan Africa, Ericsson, Toju Egbebi. According to her, the move was part of the company’s global cost and efficiency programme to achieve a net annual cost savings of Swedish Krona 9bn, adding that the programme would continue till 2017.
She further said that the move is not limited to Nigeria alone, but rather was being carried out across 180 countries where the company had operations.
An employee who pleaded anonymity said that Ericsson had decided to move the Airtel Network Operating Center to India where they said it was easier and cheaper to do business.
“They have taken the Airtel NOC office to India. They brought about 30 Indians to Nigeria last year to come and understudy the MTN network and after a month, they went back and started monitoring from there. There are no plans to pay compensation to the outsourced workers in the company.”