When people think social media manager, they often think it is that person that posts on socials.
Although that is part of the work, it goes beyond posting.
A social media manager is the voice behind the brand, the ones who creates engaging content for the audience, thereby leading to traffic to websites.
Eniola Oguntoye is a social-media manager for an outlet in Lagos Nigeria.
His deliverables includes, dissemination of 30 news stories every day.
For his efforts, he is paid a sum of 1,000 naira daily, which adds up to 30,000 naira a month.
This amount, however, barely covers his expenses, as he spends more than 30,000 naira monthly on data alone.
“The salary can barely do anything for me,” Oguntoye told News Digest.
Despite his efforts, his pleas for a salary increase have gone unheard.
“I’ve complained to the publisher several times,” he explained, “but he always says he will increase it. It’s been over a year, and nothing has changed.”
The lack of a reasonable salary is just one aspect of the problem.
The work itself is strenuous, with tight deadlines and the constant pressure to share news stories quickly. Additionally, he lives in a community in Ondo state that is without electricity for 20 years.
“Sometimes the network messes up, and I’m under so much pressure to get things done,” Eniola said.
“It’s exhausting. But I don’t have any other option. I need the job, but the job is draining me,” he added.
The constant struggle has led Eniola to consider quitting numerous times, but he feels trapped.
“I’ve thought about leaving so many times but what will I fall back on? There’s nothing else.”
This sense of helplessness is shared by many in his position. The work they do is essential, yet the compensation is far from adequate.
During our conversation, it became clear that Eniola situation is not unique.
Many social media managers face similar challenges, working long hours for pay that barely sustains them.
“It’s like they don’t see the value in what we do,” “But without us, how would the stories get out there?”, he said.
Eniola’s story is a stark reminder of the realities faced by social media managers, especially in industries where their work is not adequately valued.
It raises important questions about fair compensation and the need for employers to recognize the true worth of the roles their employees play.
For now, Eniola continues to work, hoping that one day, his efforts will be truly recognized and rewarded. But until then, he, like many others, remains overworked and underpaid.
