Nairobi, Aug. 27 -- Kenyan businesses face higher costs to interact with customers online as Meta begins charging for messages firms send on WhatsApp in response to customer queries.

Beginning October 1, the US tech giant will introduce a 52-cent charge for each message where firms are responding to customers through its WhatsApp Business platform.

WhatsApp will charge Kenyan businesses $0.0040 (Sh0.52) per delivered message, adding to the features Meta has recently monetised globally. Last year, the company began billing businesses for WhatsApp marketing messages.

Regional peers including Uganda, Tanzania and Rwanda will be charged at the same rates per message.

Kenya differs from Nigeria, where the charge is Sh0.87, South Africa at ...