Shola’s (real name not used for fear of professional repercussions) voice shook as she tried to describe the moment everything changed. It had started like any other Friday. From her home workstation in Lagos, the data annotator logged into Hugo Technologies, the outsourcing firm where she had worked remotely for months, tagging and categorising datasets for international clients. The job had offered stability in an uncertain economy – flexible hours, steady income, and the comfort of working from home. By lunchtime, it was gone. An email popped up: “Important Meeting – 12:30pm.” Thirty minutes. Mandatory. “There was nothing unusual at first,” she told The HR Anchor. “We just thought it was another team briefing.”Instead, it was a termination call. On the screen, an HR representative delivered the message with corporate restraint: the company was facing “challenges” and could no longer continue with their services. Within minutes, more than 600 employees were out of work. “It was that fast,” Shola said quietly. “No warning. No prior notice. Just like that.”
A Silent Replacement
For months, the signs had been subtle. Targets grew tougher. Emails from management became urgent. Projects slowed. Conversations turned hushed. Then came the comparisons.According to Shola, management repeatedly referenced competitors using advanced artificial intelligence to complete the same data annotation work faster and at lower cost. “They told us other companies were already using AI to do what we do,” she said. “They were faster and more productive. That’s when the pressure started increasing.” Data annotation – the painstaking human work of labelling text, images and audio so machines can learn – has quietly powered the global AI boom. Ironically, it is also among the first jobs automation is beginning to replace. Soon, Hugo Technologies began losing contracts.Then came the meeting invite. Termination letters followed in employees’ personal emails. Staff were instructed to return company property immediately. For many, there was no severance clarity and no transition support.
“It would have been better if we had known earlier,” Shola said. “People have families. Bills. Responsibilities.” An insider who also spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed Shola’s story and added that employees were asked to sign non-disclosure agreements upon exit. “They told us to sign an NDA and not drag the company on any media platform,” the worker said. “I’m very sure they won’t respond.” Emails sent by The HR Anchorto Hugo Technologies requesting comment were not answered as of the time of going to press.
Not Just One Company
What happened at Hugo may feel personal to those affected. But it is not isolated. Across the world, automation is redrawing the boundaries of work. The World Economic Forum estimates that artificial intelligence could displace up to 92 million jobs globally by 2030, even as it creates around 170 million new roles. Other projections suggest as many as 300 million jobs could be exposed to automation risk, particularly routine and clerical functions. Data entry clerks, administrative assistants, bookkeepers and other repetitive-task roles rank among the most vulnerable. The very roles that helped thousands of young Nigerians enter the digital economy may now be the first to shrink.
A Double-Edged Sword
For human resources professionals, the Hugo episode underscores both the promise and peril of emerging technology.Oluwapelumi Akinola, Human Resources Manager at NetworthPortfolio and Asset Management Limited, describes AI as inevitable – and disruptive. “Artificial Intelligence is here to stay,” he said. “Our stance should be one of acceptance, guided by strong ethical frameworks, rather than resistance.” According to him, technology does not simply eliminate jobs; it reshapes them. “But individuals must move beyond being task executors. They need to become problem solvers and build adjacent skills that machines cannot easily replace.” He warns that roles requiring little critical thinking or repetitive workflows – such as basic reporting, bookkeeping and routine processing – face the highest risk. Boumagha Sagay, a chartered management consultant and HR practitioner, agrees that the shift is already underway. “It’s difficult to look at only one side,” she said. “Yes, some jobs disappear, but new ones are emerging every day.” She argues that employability now depends on adaptability.“Workers in these fields need to upskill in AI and tech training. Those who learn to work with AI, rather than compete against it, will remain relevant.” Both experts remain cautiously optimistic that AI could ultimately result in a net gain in jobs – but only for workers willing to reskill.
The Human Cost of Innovation
Still, statistics offer little comfort to someone who has just lost a livelihood. For Shola and hundreds like her, the future of work is no longer theoretical. It is immediate. It means rewriting CVs, learning new tools, and starting over in a labour market that increasingly demands digital fluency and specialised skills.
Mostly, it means uncertainty. “What about the people who lost their jobs?” she asked. “What about the families who depend on them?” Her questions linger long after the call ends. In boardrooms and policy papers, artificial intelligence promises efficiency and growth. But on that Friday afternoon in Lagos, it arrived as a calendar invite – and 600 livelihoods disappeared in 30 minutes. If Hugo Technologies’ story signals anything, it is this: the future of work is already here. And for workers and employers alike, adaptation is no longer optional.
