Meta-owned messaging app Whatsapp has introduced the ability to lock individual chats with a password or biometric authentication.

WhatsApp has announced new updates that will give group admins more powers, even as the Meta-owned app rolled out Communities. Communities on WhatsApp enable people to bring together separate groups under one umbrella with a structure that works for them. People can receive updates sent to...

WhatsApp has launched an initiative dubbed ‘WhatsAppreneurs’ that seeks to help small and medium-sized business owners make more out of the WhatsApp business app. Through the initiative, Meta the parent company will profile small entrepreneurs from Africa who are using the WhatsApp Business app...

Communities will also contain powerful new tools for admins, including announcement messages that are sent to everyone and control over which groups can be included.

There has been an upsurge of businesses on the continent taking advantage of the Whatsapp platform to sell goods and provide services. This has created a growing need for social media-based customer support to drive a holistic shopping experience. 

According to research, messenger apps outstripped social networks by 20% in 2020, in terms of popularity among users, and became the most popular tool for communication. Survey results also show that in 2020, the global audience for messengers amounted to 2.7 billion people, and by 2023 it is expected to grow to 3.1 billion.