Meta, the parent of WhatsApp is set to impose per message charges on certain service and utility messages sent through the WhatsApp Business Platform beginning from October 1, 2026.
The new pricing policy will affect businesses that use WhatsApp to communicate with customers at scale, including banks, fintech companies, e-commerce platforms, telecommunications operators, logistics firms and large retailers.
Notably, the change applies specifically to the WhatsApp Business Platform, formerly known as the WhatsApp Business API. Ordinary WhatsApp users and most small businesses using the standard WhatsApp Business application will not face the changes.
Under the current system, when a customer sends a message to a business, the interaction opens a 24-hour customer service window. Businesses can respond within that period using free form service messages and certain utility messages without paying Meta.
However, from October 1, Meta will begin charging businesses on a per message basis for service messages sent during the customer service window. Utility messages sent in response to users within an open 24-hour customer service window will also become chargeable.
Utility messages include payment confirmations, order updates, delivery notifications and other transactional communications.
For businesses in Nigeria, chargeable service and utility messages to cost about $0.0101, or approximately ₦14 per message, based on an exchange rate of about ₦1,340 to the dollar. Marketing messages will attract a higher charge of about $0.062, or approximately ₦84 per message.
Although the cost of an individual message appears relatively small, the financial impact could be substantial for companies that send hundreds of thousands or millions of messages.
For example, a Nigerian fintech sending 500,000 chargeable service or utility messages would incur about $5,050, equivalent to approximately ₦6.8 million, in Meta messaging fees alone, excluding any additional charges from third-party business solution providers.
Meta has also warned businesses and solution providers to add a payment method before the new charges take effect. Businesses without a payment method on file by September 30 could have their service messages stopped once the charges become effective on October 1.
The development forms part of Meta’s broader move towards a per message pricing model for business communications on WhatsApp.
However, the new policy highlights that companies that depend heavily on WhatsApp for customer support, transaction notifications, order updates and other communications will need to factor the additional messaging costs into their operating expenses from October.
By Musekir Faisat OmolaraÂ
