Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, will begin charging companies for service and utility messages sent through the WhatsApp Business Platform starting October 1, 2026.
The new policy applies to corporate entities using the WhatsApp Business Platform (formerly WhatsApp Business API) to manage large-scale customer communications. Affected sectors include banks, fintechs, telecommunications providers, logistics firms, and major e-commerce platforms.
The update will not impact standard WhatsApp users or small businesses using the free WhatsApp Business mobile application.
Under the upcoming pricing model, Meta will charge businesses per message for responses sent within the 24-hour customer service window. Utility messages which include transactional updates, payment confirmations, order status notifications, and delivery alerts will also incur per-message fees.
Meta warned that companies must link a valid payment method to their accounts by September 30, 2026, to prevent message delivery disruptions when the policy takes effect.
For businesses operating in Nigeria, a chargeable service or utility message is expected to cost approximately $0.0101 (roughly ₦14), while marketing messages will cost around $0.062 (roughly ₦84) per message.
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