WhatsApp is set to introduce a new pricing model for businesses using its WhatsApp Business Platform, with charges applied on a per-message basis from October 1, 2026.
The new system will affect businesses that use the platform to communicate with customers at scale, including banks, fintech companies, retailers, airlines, e-commerce platforms and other service providers.
Under the new pricing structure, businesses will be charged based on the type and number of messages they send, replacing the existing pricing arrangement for certain business-initiated conversations.
The change is expected to have a significant impact on companies that rely heavily on WhatsApp for customer notifications, transaction alerts, marketing campaigns, customer support and other communications.
For Nigerian businesses, particularly banks and fintech companies that send large volumes of OTPs, transaction notifications and customer updates through WhatsApp, the new charges could increase communication costs.
WhatsApp has been gradually moving toward a more message-based pricing model as it expands its business messaging services and seeks to monetise communication between businesses and their customers.
Businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform are therefore expected to review their messaging strategies ahead of the October 1 implementation date and assess how the new pricing structure could affect their operating costs.
The development does not mean that ordinary WhatsApp users will be charged for sending personal messages. The charges apply to businesses using WhatsApp’s business messaging infrastructure.
