Nigerian technology startup 3650HQ is targeting rising costs and growing complexity in business messaging as changes to the WhatsApp Business Platform put pressure on companies that rely heavily on the platform to communicate with customers.
The development follows changes introduced by Meta to WhatsApp Business Platform pricing from October 1, 2026, including charges for service messages beyond a monthly allowance of 1,000 delivered service messages per business phone number.
Utility messages sent within an open 24-hour customer-service window are also covered under the new pricing structure.
Who is affected?
The changes apply to businesses using the WhatsApp Business Platform, rather than ordinary WhatsApp users.
The financial impact will vary depending on factors such as:
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The volume of messages a business sends and receives.
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The category of messages being sent.
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The market where customers are located.
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How frequently businesses use WhatsApp to provide customer support and complete transactions.
For Nigerian businesses that use WhatsApp to answer customer enquiries, process orders and generate sales, the changes could make efficient management of customer conversations increasingly important.
Businesses face more than WhatsApp costs
The challenge extends beyond the cost of individual messages.
Many businesses now communicate with customers across multiple platforms, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok and email.
Managing these conversations separately can make it harder for businesses to track customer enquiries, follow up on potential buyers and move customers through the sales process.
3650HQ said it is seeking to address this problem through a conversational-commerce platform designed to bring customer communication and other sales functions into a single workspace.
3650HQ's proposed solution
According to the company, its platform will allow businesses to manage conversations from multiple channels through a shared inbox.
It will also provide tools covering key parts of the transaction process, including:
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Customer conversations across different channels
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Invoicing
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Payment collection
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Delivery management
The approach is designed to reduce the need for businesses to switch between multiple platforms while managing customer interactions and completing sales.
Why it matters
WhatsApp has become an important channel for businesses seeking to communicate directly with customers, particularly for enquiries, orders and sales.
As messaging costs and the number of customer communication channels increase, businesses may face greater pressure to consolidate conversations and manage customer interactions more efficiently.
For Nigerian businesses that depend on digital messaging for sales and customer service, platforms like that of 3650HQ could provide an alternative way to manage those interactions while controlling the complexity of operating across multiple channels.
Source: Punch
