Tala Begins Fresh Job Cuts in Kenya as Competition Reshapes Digital Lending

Digital lender Tala has begun a fresh round of layoffs as part of a global restructuring aimed at centralising its operations and streamlining functions.The company said seven employees in Kenya have been notified of its intention to declare their positions redundant. Tala has 85 employees in Kenya, meaning the planned cuts affect less than 10% of its local workforce.

Tala said the process is still at the consultation stage and that no final decision has been made. The company added that it will work with affected employees and provide support during the transition.
The latest cuts come about a year after Tala laid off 28 employees, mainly in customer service and collections. At the time, the company said fewer loan defaults and lower customer support requests had reduced workloads in parts of the business.

Tala entered Kenya in 2014 before expanding to Mexico, the Philippines and India. The company said in 2025 that it had served more than 10 million customers, issued more than $6 billion in loans and reached an annualised revenue run rate of $300 million.

The restructuring also comes as digital lenders face rising competition from products embedded in mobile money ecosystems. Data from the Competition Authority of Kenya showed M-Shwari(34%), Fuliza(25%) and KCB M-PESA(15%) leading Kenya’s digital lending market, while Tala held a 13% share.

The lender added that it remains committed to the Kenyan market, where customers use its loans to bridge income gaps, support businesses and meet household needs