By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. | adeyemi@ddnewsonline.com
Editor, DDNews |
Lagos, Nigeria – August 31, 2026
DDNewsOnline
Businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform are set to be charged about fourteen naira per message for Nigerian numbers by Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, from October 1, 2026.
Ordinary users are not affected by this development as they will continue to use WhatsApp without paying per message.
The new charges will apply to businesses that rely on the WhatsApp Business Platform to communicate with customers. These include banks, fintech companies, telecommunications firms, retailers and e-commerce platforms that use WhatsApp to provide customer support, send transaction alerts, confirm orders and market their products.
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Under the new pricing structure, companies will be required to pay for each message sent to Nigerian numbers through the official WhatsApp Business API and related tools.
The development is expected to increase operational costs for businesses that depend heavily on WhatsApp for customer engagement and service delivery. Many Nigerian companies currently use the platform as a primary channel for real-time communication with clients due to its widespread popularity and high open rates.
While individual users will not be charged for personal chats, voice notes, calls or group messages, commercial messages sent by verified businesses through Meta’s official business tools will attract the new per-message fee.
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The introduction of the charge forms part of Meta’s broader strategy to monetise its business messaging services across different markets.
Businesses that currently send large volumes of automated notifications, marketing messages and customer service replies via WhatsApp are likely to feel the impact of the new pricing the most.
As the October 1 start date approaches, companies are expected to review their communication strategies, explore ways to optimise message volumes, or consider alternative customer engagement channels in order to manage rising costs.
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By Ogungbayi Adeyemi S. (Beedee)
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