Ladi Anzaki Olubunmi, a Nigerian content moderator for TikTok, was laid to rest in Nairobi on Thursday, following her death under unclear circumstances in the Kenyan capital last month.
The 43-year-old was found dead in her apartment on the outskirts of Nairobi on March 7, three days after she failed to report to work. Her body was discovered in a decomposed state, sparking concern among colleagues and members of the Nigerian community in Kenya.
Olubunmi worked for TikTok through Teleperformance Kenya, a subcontractor responsible for content moderation services. Though the cause of death has yet to be officially disclosed, co-workers say she had recently complained of exhaustion and expressed a strong desire to return home to Nigeria. Her family said she had returned home only once since relocating to Kenya in 2022.
Thursday’s funeral was attended by officials from the Nigerian High Commission, colleagues, and members of the Nigerian diaspora in Kenya, with an estimated 200 people in attendance.
Her death comes amid growing scrutiny of working conditions for content moderators employed by third-party firms in Kenya. In recent years, several moderators have raised complaints about low pay, inadequate mental health support, long hours, and a culture of intimidation.
In a high-profile case, more than 100 former Facebook moderators previously filed a lawsuit against the platform’s subcontractor, Samasource, alleging poor working conditions, unfair termination, and psychological distress linked to their work.
Olubunmi’s death has once again thrown a spotlight on the toll of digital content moderation and the welfare of workers operating behind the scenes of major social media platforms.
