Meta, the parent company of WhatsApp, is set to introduce charges for certain messages sent by businesses through the WhatsApp Business Platform from October 1, 2026.
Newsonspot reports that the new pricing will affect companies that use the official WhatsApp Business Platform, formerly known as the WhatsApp Business API, to handle customer conversations and communications on a large scale.
Banks, fintech companies, e-commerce platforms, telecom operators, logistics firms and major retailers that depend on WhatsApp for customer service and transactional communication are among businesses that could be affected.
However, the new charges will not apply to ordinary WhatsApp users or most small businesses using the regular WhatsApp Business app on their mobile phones.
Meta announced the pricing change in a WhatsApp Business Platform update published in July 2026, saying charges for service messages would resume from October 1.
Under the existing arrangement, when a customer sends a message to a business, a 24-hour customer service window is opened. Businesses can currently respond during the window with free-form service messages and certain utility messages without paying Meta.
That will change from October 1, when Meta begins charging businesses on a per-message basis for service messages sent within the customer service window.
In its developer documentation, Meta said the charges would apply to all service messages, noting that such messages had not been billed since November 1, 2024.
The company also said utility messages sent in response to users within an open 24-hour customer service window would become chargeable from the same date. Utility messages have been free since July 1, 2025.
Utility messages typically include payment confirmations, order updates and delivery notifications.
Meta has also warned businesses and Solution Providers to ensure that a valid payment method is added to their accounts before the new charges take effect.
According to the company, Solution Providers or directly integrated businesses without a payment method on file by September 30, 2026, could have their service messages stopped once the charges begin on October 1.
For Nigerian businesses, chargeable utility or service messages are expected to cost approximately $0.0101 per message, which is about ₦14 based on an exchange rate of roughly ₦1,340 to the dollar.
Marketing messages will cost considerably more, at about $0.062 per message, equivalent to approximately ₦84 at the same exchange rate.
The new pricing means businesses that handle large volumes of customer interactions through WhatsApp Business Platform may need to review their messaging costs and communication strategies before the October 1 deadline.
