Most remote job guides point you toward a website and a login screen. This one is different. There are companies in this exact space that have actual physical offices in Nairobi and Kampala, hire people formally, and pay a regular wage, not a per task rate you are chasing across a platform. That is worth knowing about, and it is also worth understanding honestly, including the parts that have not always gone well.
The company at the center of this, and what it actually does
Sama, formerly known as Samasource, runs a major data annotation facility at Sameer Business Park in Nairobi, employing hundreds of workers directly, alongside operations in Kampala and Gulu, Uganda. The company was founded specifically around the idea of connecting people to what it calls dignified digital work, and it has employed more than 8,000 people across Kenya, Uganda, India, and Haiti since 2008. Sama runs an AI 101 training program that qualifies successful participants for employment as a Data Training Agent, working on computer vision data labeling, AI evaluation, and related projects for major technology clients. You can learn more about the training pathway and current openings directly at sama.com/ai101, with current job listings at sama.com/careers.
The part worth knowing honestly before you apply
In 2023, it became public that Sama workers in Nairobi had been subcontracted to review deeply graphic and violent content as part of content moderation work for a major AI company, for pay reported at under 2 dollars an hour, and workers involved described real psychological harm from the material they were exposed to. This is genuinely important context, not a reason to dismiss the company outright, since Sama has continued operating and expanding since then, but it is exactly the kind of detail a careful applicant should ask about directly before accepting any role there or at any similar company. Not every project at Sama or elsewhere in this industry involves graphic content, most computer vision and general data labeling work does not, but content moderation specifically can, and you deserve to know exactly what a role involves before you start.
The direct question worth asking before you accept any offer
Ask specifically what type of content the role involves reviewing, and ask directly whether the project includes graphic, violent, or disturbing material as part of standard tasks. A legitimate employer will answer this clearly rather than deflecting. If a role does involve this kind of content, ask what mental health support or counseling access is provided as part of the job, since this has been a documented gap in this industry previously, and a responsible employer today should have real answers ready.
Other companies with real African operations worth knowing about
CloudFactory maintains Kenyan operations providing digital work and AI data services, structured similarly around formal, ongoing employment rather than gig style task work. iMerit has expanded into Kenya with data labeling projects across several sectors. For workers interested specifically in African language data, Lelapa AI focuses on natural language processing for African languages specifically, a genuinely underserved area where local language fluency is a real, direct advantage rather than a barrier.
What pay and structure actually look like here, compared to gig platforms
Unlike task based platforms like Remotasks or Toloka, where you are paid per completed task with no guaranteed hours, formal data annotation employers like Sama generally offer structured employment, a defined wage, and regular hours, closer to a standard job than freelance gig work. This trades some flexibility for more predictability, which suits people looking for steadier income rather than the more variable earnings of task based platforms.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sama a legitimate employer, given the past controversy? Yes, Sama is a real, operating company with genuine physical offices and formal employment in Kenya and Uganda. The 2023 reporting on underpaid, psychologically harmful content moderation work is a real, documented part of the company’s history worth knowing, and it is reasonable to ask direct questions about a specific role’s content before accepting it.
Do I need a technical background to work in data annotation? No, most entry level data annotation and labeling work requires no coding or technical degree, just attention to detail and the ability to follow detailed labeling guidelines accurately. Some specialized projects do value technical or language specific skills more highly.
What is the difference between this and platforms like Remotasks or Toloka? Companies like Sama typically offer formal, structured employment with defined hours and a set wage, operating from a physical office. Platforms like Remotasks or Toloka are gig style, task based work you complete remotely on your own schedule with earnings tied directly to how many tasks you finish.
How do I know if a specific role involves disturbing content before I accept it? Ask directly during the interview or offer stage exactly what type of content the role involves and whether it includes graphic or violent material. A responsible employer will answer honestly rather than being vague about the nature of the work.
Are there similar formal employers in other African countries besides Kenya and Uganda? Yes, this sector is growing across the continent, with companies like iMerit and CloudFactory expanding operations, though Kenya and Uganda currently host some of the more established, longer running facilities in this specific space.
A grounded closing thought
Formal data annotation employment offers something gig platforms cannot, real structure and predictable income, and it is a genuinely growing sector across East Africa specifically. Go in informed rather than starstruck by the AI industry association. Ask direct questions about the actual content you would be reviewing, know your rights as a formally employed worker rather than a gig contractor, and treat this as the real job opportunity it can be, with the same discernment you would bring to any other employer.
