Meta to Charge Businesses ₦14 Per WhatsApp Message From October 1

Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, will begin charging businesses for every message they send to Nigerian customers through the WhatsApp Business Platform from October 1, 2026. The new pricing policy will affect banks, fintech companies, telecommunications firms, retailers and e-commerce platforms that use WhatsApp for customer support, transaction alerts, order confirmations and product marketing. Ordinary WhatsApp users will not be affected and will continue to use the platform without paying per message.

Under the new structure, a chargeable service or utility message to a Nigerian number will cost approximately $0.0101, which is about ₦14 based on current exchange rates. Marketing messages will attract a higher fee of about $0.062, or roughly ₦84 per message. The charges apply only to businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform, not to regular users.

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The policy shift means that businesses which previously sent messages for free will now face significant costs. A company sending one million chargeable service messages could face costs of about ₦14 million. Meta has not provided specific rates for Nigeria but has confirmed that the per-message pricing model will take effect from October 1. The company said the change is part of its broader strategy to monetise the WhatsApp Business Platform globally.

The announcement has sparked concern among Nigerian businesses, many of which rely heavily on WhatsApp to communicate with customers. Small and medium-sized enterprises, which often use the platform for customer service and order management, are expected to be hit hardest. Industry observers have warned that the new charges could increase operating costs for businesses and may ultimately be passed on to consumers.

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