Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, is set to charge businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform about ₦14 per message sent to Nigerian numbers, effective October 1, 2026. The new fee is expected to affect companies that rely on WhatsApp for customer communication, marketing and the delivery of digital services.
The charge will apply to business communications such as transaction alerts, order confirmations, customer notifications, support messages and promotional content. However, ordinary WhatsApp users will not be affected, as individuals will continue to use the platform for personal messaging and calls without paying a per-message fee.
Businesses likely to be affected include banks, fintech companies, telecommunications operators, retailers and e-commerce platforms that use WhatsApp to provide customer support, send payment and transaction updates, confirm orders and promote their products and services. Companies that send large volumes of messages could face significantly higher communication costs under the new pricing structure.
The development is expected to prompt affected businesses to review their digital communication strategies and budgets ahead of the October 1 implementation date. It also underscores the growing role of WhatsApp as a commercial communication tool in Nigeria, with businesses increasingly depending on the platform to interact with customers, deliver notifications and drive sales.
