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Claim: A viral WhatsApp audio claims WhatsApp will suspend users’ accounts and that affected users will be required to pay a monthly fee of N25,000 before their accounts can be restored.
Verdict: False. There is no announcement from WhatsApp or any credible news source to support this assertion.
Full Text
An audio message in Hausa circulating widely on WhatsApp alleges that WhatsApp is planning to suspend users’ accounts nationwide.
The speaker in the audio, who identified himself as Karamin Titiburin ku Hamisu Azare, claims that this action is necessary because the number of WhatsApp users has become too large.
Part of the audio transcribed reads, “WhatsApp has been sold to the owner of Facebook, who now controls the platform. There have been rumours that WhatsApp will be shut down at midnight, and according to the speaker, this information is now confirmed.”
He urged every WhatsApp user to forward the message to all their contacts, as users who refuse to forward it will have their accounts blocked and will need to pay a fee of N25,000 to have it restored.
“Blocked accounts will only be restored after the user registers and agrees to pay a monthly fee of ₦25,000,” he said.
The audio did not cite any official source or provide evidence to support the claim.
Due to the virality of the audio and the panic that it is generating among WhatsApp users who have requested verification, DUBAWA decided to verify its authenticity.
Verification
DUBAWA first visited WhatsApp’s official website, blog, and help centre to check for any announcements or policies indicating an account suspension or a monthly fee for users to access their accounts. We found no such information.
WhatsApp’s policies clearly state that the platform is free to use and does not charge subscription fees for basic messaging services.
We also checked WhatsApp’s official verified social media accounts: X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram, and found nothing. We found no statement or update indicating that users would be required to pay to prevent or reverse an account suspension.
We conducted keyword searches on Google using phrases such as “WhatsApp account suspension payment,” “WhatsApp ₦25,000 fee Nigeria,” and “WhatsApp monthly subscription suspension.” We found no credible news reports from reputable media organisations confirming the claim.
We also found that this is a recirculating message that has been shared in different formats in 2020 and 2021.
WhatsApp remains a free messaging platform, and account suspensions/bans, when they occur, are usually linked to violations of its terms of service, not payment issues.
Additionally, WhatsApp has consistently warned users that it does not charge fees to activate, maintain, or restore accounts, and that claims demanding payment are often associated with misinformation or scams.
Conclusion
The claim that WhatsApp will suspend users’ accounts and demand a monthly payment of N25,000 to restore them is false. There is no announcement from WhatsApp or any credible news source to support this assertion.
