Nigerian businesses have been advised to strengthen their digital operations and avoid becoming overly dependent on a single foreign-owned platform following Meta’s planned charges for certain messages on the WhatsApp Business Platform from October 1, 2026.
Innovation and Technology Policy Adviser, Jide Awe, said the pricing change should encourage Nigerian enterprises to build more resilient digital systems. He noted that WhatsApp has become a key operational tool for many small and medium-sized businesses, supporting customer enquiries, quotations, payments and delivery coordination.
Awe warned that businesses relying heavily on third-party platforms could face immediate financial pressure whenever platform owners change their pricing or operating rules. He urged enterprises to understand pricing structures and system limitations while assessing which digital interactions generate real business value.
He, however, advised businesses not to abandon WhatsApp, given its importance in the Nigerian market. Instead, he encouraged them to prioritise high-value customer interactions, build internal digital capacity and explore other platforms to reduce the risks associated with dependence on a single service provider.
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