DMly
Guide

How to get the WhatsApp Business API in Kenya

The steps in the order that works: connect your number through Meta's signup, set your display name, verify your business with your BRS documents and KRA PIN, get templates approved, then go live. Plus the mistakes that slow Kenyan businesses down.

Steps in the right order BRS and KRA PIN Templates explained Mistakes to avoid
Business owner connecting WhatsApp on a laptop
Before you start

What you need ready

Have these to hand and the setup call goes quickly.

A phone number you control Ideally the number your customers already message. With co-existence, the WhatsApp Business app keeps working on that phone after the number is connected to DMly.
A Facebook login Meta's signup runs through Facebook. You use it to create or choose your Meta business portfolio, which is where your WhatsApp account lives.
Your business documents For business verification, have your registration documents from the Business Registration Service (BRS), usually downloaded from eCitizen, and your business KRA PIN certificate.
Your business details online A website or a social media page with the same business name, address and phone number helps Meta match your documents to your business.
The steps

How to get the WhatsApp Business API in Kenya, in order

Connect first, verify after. You do not need to wait for verification to start using the API.

01 Connect your number through Meta's signup Inside DMly, open Meta's signup, log in with Facebook, create or choose your business portfolio and add your number. Meta sends a code to the number to confirm it is yours.
02 Set your display name Enter the name customers will see. Meta reviews it, so use the name your business actually trades under.
03 Verify your business (recommended) In your Meta business portfolio, start business verification and upload your BRS registration documents and KRA PIN. Until you are verified, you can start conversations with up to 250 customers a day. Verification lifts you past that.
04 Create your templates Write the messages you will send first, such as booking confirmations, payment receipts and offers, and submit them to Meta for approval.
05 Go live Switch on the AI agent, invite your team to the inbox, connect Paystack or Flutterwave for payments, and send your first message to customers who opted in.
Documents

What Meta asks for, and where Kenyan businesses get it

Meta decides what it accepts. These are the documents Kenyan businesses most often use.

What Meta checks Document to use in Kenya Tip
That the business is registered BRS certificate of registration or incorporation, from eCitizen The name must match your Meta business portfolio exactly
The business tax identity KRA PIN certificate Upload it together with your BRS documents, so Meta can link the two
The business address A document that shows the same address, such as a utility bill Use the address on your registration where you can
That you control the business A business email or phone that Meta can verify An email on your own website domain helps
Templates

The three kinds of template Meta approves

Meta puts every template in a category, and the category sets the price.

Founder reviewing message templates at a cafe
Utility Updates about something the customer already did: a booking confirmation, an order on its way, a payment receipt. US$0.004 a message, about KSh 0.52. Marketing Offers, new products, holiday promotions and anything that sells. US$0.0225 a message, about KSh 2.92, and only to customers who opted in. Authentication One-time codes for logging in or confirming an action. US$0.004 a message, about KSh 0.52.
Mistakes

Common mistakes that slow Kenyan businesses down

Names A display name that does not match If the name customers see is very different from the name on your BRS documents or signboard, Meta can reject it. Keep them close.
Order Waiting for verification before connecting You can connect your number and start using the API first. Verification can run alongside.
Documents A portfolio name that differs from the documents If your Meta business portfolio says one name and your BRS certificate says another, verification stalls. Fix the portfolio name before you upload.
Templates Promotions hidden in utility templates Adding an offer to a booking confirmation can get the template rejected or moved to marketing. Keep the offer in its own template.
Lists Uploading numbers that never opted in The Kenya Data Protection Act expects consent before marketing. Message only people who agreed to hear from you.
Numbers Deleting WhatsApp from the phone first With co-existence there is no need. Keep the app and connect the same number.
Your first template

What a first approved template looks like

A fictional dental clinic in Eldoret, sending a utility reminder the day before an appointment.

TD Tabasamu Dental WhatsApp Business API
Hello Mwangi, this is a reminder of your check-up at Tabasamu Dental tomorrow, Wednesday, at 10:00 am. Reply Confirm or Change. Confirm Thank you, see you tomorrow at 10:00 am. We are on the first floor, opposite the bank. Is there parking? Yes, there is parking at the back of the building.
Utility, not marketing A reminder about a booking the patient made, with no offer attached.
Buttons to reply The patient confirms in one tap.
Replies to the team Any reply lands in the clinic's shared inbox.
Why DMly

Why businesses in Kenya choose DMly

Your customers already message you on WhatsApp and pay by M-Pesa. DMly puts both in one place, with costs explained in shillings before you send.

01The official WhatsApp API, on your numberDMly runs on Meta's official WhatsApp Business API with your own number, and co-existence keeps the WhatsApp Business app working on your phone.
02M-Pesa and card in the chatSend payment links and invoices through Paystack or Flutterwave, whichever you enable. DMly adds no fee, and receipts go out automatically.
03Every channel, one inboxWhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Telegram, SMS and website chat, answered by one team with assignment, notes and full history.
04Message costs you can seeMeta bills Kenya at its Rest of Africa rate: about KSh 2.92 per delivered marketing message and about KSh 0.52 for utility. DMly adds nothing on top.
05Opt-in and STOP built inBroadcasts go to customers who opted in, and STOP replies are honoured on every channel, which helps you respect the Data Protection Act, 2019.
06Set up with you, freeOur team gets on a video call, connects your channels, builds your first flows and helps with Meta business verification at no cost.
Try DMly free for seven daysBook a demoNo card to start, and setup on a video call costs nothing.
Questions

Getting the WhatsApp Business API in Kenya: FAQ

Do I need a registered company to get the WhatsApp Business API in Kenya?
You can connect your number and start without verification. To verify your business with Meta, you need proof that it exists, which in Kenya usually means your BRS registration documents and KRA PIN.
What is the messaging limit before verification?
Before verification you can start conversations with up to 250 customers a day. Business verification lifts you past that. Replying to customers who message you first is not limited in the same way.
Can I use my current WhatsApp Business number?
Yes. With co-existence, the WhatsApp Business app keeps working on your phone while the same number runs on DMly.
How long does Meta take to approve things?
Meta sets its own review times for display names, verification and templates, and they vary. Starting with the number connection means you can use the API while the reviews run.
Does the API cost money in Kenya?
Meta charges per delivered message at its Rest of Africa rate, in US dollars, and DMly adds nothing. Incoming messages are free and the first 1,000 service replies each month are free. DMly plans start from US$29 a month.
Can DMly do the setup for me?
Our team does it with you on a video call, at no cost, including the business verification.

Do the setup with our team

Seven days free, no card needed. Our team sets it up with you on a video call.

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