Meta to Charge Businesses for WhatsApp Messages Starting October

Meta announced that effective October 1, 2026, it will implement charges on a per-message basis for all service messages sent via its WhatsApp Business platform. This includes utility messages sent in response to users within a 24-hour customer service window.

Service messages, which are non-template replies from businesses after customer initiation, and utility messages, which include transactional communications like payment confirmations and order notifications, have been free since November 2024 and July 2025, respectively. Businesses utilizing the WhatsApp Business Platform, which is aimed at companies managing customer communications at scale, will need to adjust to these new operational costs.

Current pricing indicates that utility messages to Nigerian numbers are approximately $0.0101 per message, or around N13.5 at the official exchange rate as of August 28, 2026. Meta has advised businesses to ensure they have a valid payment method on file by September 30, 2026, to avoid disruption in service message delivery.