How to Create a Product Catalogue on WhatsApp Business in Nigeria

If you sell anything online in Nigeria — clothes, hair, skincare, food, gadgets — your customers are on WhatsApp. And if they have to ask you "how much?" for every single item, you're losing sales.

That's where the WhatsApp Business product catalogue comes in.

It lets you display your products right inside WhatsApp with photos, prices, and descriptions; so customers can browse and order without leaving the app.

This guide shows you exactly how to set it up, step by step.

What Is a WhatsApp Business Catalogue?

A catalogue is like a mini online shop inside your WhatsApp Business profile. When someone opens your profile, they can tap "View Catalogue" and see all your products with images, prices, and a short description for each one.

Instead of sending product photos one by one in a chat, you can just share a product link or your entire catalogue in one tap.

It saves you time. It makes you look professional. And it makes it easier for customers to say yes.

What You Need Before You Start

Before setting up your catalogue, make sure you have:

• The WhatsApp Business app installed (not the regular WhatsApp)
• A business profile already set up (business name, category, description)
• Product photos saved on your phone clear, well-lit images work best
• Your product names, prices, and short descriptions ready

If you haven't set up your WhatsApp Business profile yet, do that first. Your catalogue sits inside your profile so the profile comes first.

How to Add Products to Your WhatsApp Business Catalogue

Step 1: Open WhatsApp Business and go to your profile

Tap the three dots at the top right of your screen, then tap Business Tools. You'll see a Catalogue option in the list. Tap it.

Step 2: Tap "Add new item"

This opens the product form. You'll fill in the details for each product here.

Step 3 — Add a product photo

Tap the camera icon to upload a photo from your gallery. You can add up to 10 photos per product. Use your best photo as the first image it's what customers see first.

Tips for good product photos:

• Use natural light where possible
• Show the product clearly against a clean background
• If it's clothing or hair, show it being worn it converts better

Step 4: Add the product name

Keep it simple and clear. "Burgundy Straight Wig 18 inch" works better than just "Wig." The more specific you are, the easier it is for customers to know what they're getting.

Step 5: Add the price

Enter the price in naira. If the price varies (for example, by size or colour), you can note that in the description. Some sellers write the starting price and add "DM for other sizes."

Step 6 — Write a short description

This is where you answer the questions customers always ask. For clothing: material, size range, how to care for it. For food: ingredients, portion size, how it's packaged. For beauty products: skin type, how to use it.

You don't need to write an essay, three to five sentences is enough.

Step 7: Add a product link (optional)

If you have an online store, you can paste the product URL here. This takes customers directly to your store page to complete the purchase. More on this later.

Step 8: Save the item

Tap Save and your product is now live in your catalogue. Repeat this for every product you want to list.

How to Share Your Catalogue With Customers

Once your catalogue is set up, here's how to share it:

Share the full catalogue: In a chat, tap the attachment icon, then select Catalogue. The customer can scroll through everything you sell.

Share a single product: Go to your catalogue, tap the product, then tap Share. You can send it directly to a customer or post it on your WhatsApp status.

Let customers find it themselves: Anyone who visits your WhatsApp Business profile will see a "View Catalogue" button automatically. No extra steps needed.

Common Mistakes Nigerian Sellers Make With Their Catalogue

No price listed: "DM for price" kills more sales than you realise. Customers don't want to negotiate before they've even decided to buy. List your price. You can always negotiate later.

Low quality photos: A blurry photo in bad lighting will make even a great product look cheap. Take five minutes to retake the photo in good light.

Too many products with no organisation: If you sell 50 products, group similar ones together and use clear names so customers can find what they want quickly.

Not updating the catalogue: Sold-out items still showing up, old prices, discontinued products. Check your catalogue every week and keep it current.

Only adding products once and forgetting: Your catalogue should grow as your business grows. Add new products the moment they arrive.

The Limit of the WhatsApp Business Catalogue

The WhatsApp Business app catalogue is useful, but it has real limits:

• You can only add up to 500 products
• Customers cannot pay directly through the catalogue
• You have to manage orders manually through chat
• There's no stock tracking, you won't know when something is running low
• Every product has to be added and updated by hand

For sellers just starting out, this is fine. But as your business grows, you'll quickly feel the friction.

How Zerrar Solves This

When you open a store on Zerrar, your catalogue is automatically synced to your WhatsApp Business account. You manage everything in one place, add a product on Zerrar, it shows up on WhatsApp. Update a price, it updates everywhere. Mark something as sold out, it disappears automatically.

Your customers get a real storefront they can browse on any device. They can pay directly no back-and-forth in chat. And you get order notifications, payment confirmations, and delivery tracking without lifting a finger.

You still use WhatsApp to talk to customers. You just stop using it to run your entire business manually.

Open your free Zerrar store at zerrar.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add a catalogue on the regular WhatsApp app? No. The catalogue feature is only available on the WhatsApp Business app. You need to download WhatsApp Business separately and set up a business profile first.

How many products can I add to my WhatsApp Business catalogue? You can add up to 500 products. If you sell more than that, you'll need a proper online store.

Can customers pay through my WhatsApp catalogue? Not directly. Customers can browse your catalogue on WhatsApp, but payments happen separately usually through bank transfer, Opay, or a payment link you send them. Zerrar lets customers pay directly from your store without you having to send anything manually.

Do I need a website to use a WhatsApp catalogue? No. The catalogue lives inside WhatsApp. But if you want customers to be able to find you on Google, browse properly on a phone, and pay without the back-and-forth, a store like Zerrar gives you that alongside WhatsApp.

Can I add videos to my catalogue? Not currently. WhatsApp Business catalogues only support photos. You can share product videos directly in chat or on your WhatsApp status instead.

What if my prices change frequently? You'll need to manually update each product in your catalogue. If you're changing prices often, a platform like Zerrar lets you update prices once and they sync everywhere automatically.