Data price hikes make social commerce more expensive to run. Here’s how Ghana SMEs can use AI and Mobile Money workflows to sell efficiently with less data.
Data Price Hikes: How Ghana SMEs Can Still Sell Online
Safaricom Ethiopia didn’t “slightly adjust” data prices this December. Reported changes show an average increase of about 44%, with some bundles seeing effective per-unit jumps as high as 82%—and fewer low-cost entry options for price-sensitive users. That’s the part most people notice.
The part SMEs should notice is what comes next: when data gets expensive, online selling doesn’t stop—online selling gets inefficient. Businesses burn airtime on back-and-forth chats, repeated product explanations, manual order tracking, and payment confusion. The outcome is predictable: fewer replies, slower conversions, and more customers dropping off mid-purchase.
This post connects the Ethiopia story to a Ghana reality many founders already feel: when connectivity costs rise (or speeds drop), social commerce becomes harder to run profitably. And because this is part of our “AI ne Fintech: Sɛnea Akɔntabuo ne Mobile Money Rehyɛ Ghana den” series, we’ll focus on practical ways AI + fintech habits can reduce data waste, speed up Mobile Money checkout, and keep your online shop running even when internet access isn’t cheap.
What Safaricom Ethiopia’s increase really signals for African SMEs
Answer first: A sharp data hike signals that SMEs must treat connectivity as a cost line—like rent—and redesign operations to use fewer megabytes per sale.
The Ethiopia changes matter beyond Ethiopia because they highlight something uncomfortable: telecom pricing can change fast, and SMEs don’t get a grace period. The reported restructuring also reduced low-cost bundles, which are exactly what students, freelancers, and microbusinesses typically rely on.
In markets where mobile data is the primary way people access the internet, a hike doesn’t just hit “entertainment.” It hits:
- Product discovery (scrolling, searching, comparing)
- Customer support (WhatsApp/DM conversations)
- Payments (Mobile Money prompts, confirmations)
- Proof of trust (photos, videos, reviews, status updates)
Here’s the stance I’ll take: SMEs that keep running social commerce like it’s 2021 will bleed money in 2026. Not because social selling is bad, but because manual social selling is expensive in high-data environments.
Why “competition” doesn’t always mean “affordable”
Answer first: Liberalisation can improve coverage and quality, but affordability still depends on pricing strategy, inflation pressures, and regulator appetite for consumer protection.
The RSS story notes the shift in public discussion from innovation to affordability, transparency, and consumer protection. That’s a pattern across the region. Even with new entrants, operators can still raise prices due to currency pressures, capex needs, or revenue targets.
For Ghanaian SMEs, this is a reminder: don’t build growth plans that assume data will keep getting cheaper. Build plans that assume volatility.
The real cost to social commerce: data waste inside your sales process
Answer first: The biggest damage from expensive data is not fewer people online—it’s higher cost per conversion because every sale takes more messages, more follow-ups, and more time.
If you sell on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, or Telegram, your “shop” is basically a conversation engine. Conversations are cheap when data is cheap. When data is expensive, the same conversation becomes a tax.
Let’s break down where SMEs lose efficiency (and data):
1) Repeating the same answers in DMs
Answer first: Repetition inflates message volume, delays response times, and pushes customers to competitors.
Common loops:
- “How much?”
- “Do you deliver to Kasoa / Koforidua / Tamale?”
- “Is it original?”
- “Do you have size 42 / medium / 128GB?”
Each loop is small, but multiplied by 30–100 inquiries per week, it becomes real money and real time.
2) Heavy media (video) when a photo would sell better
Answer first: Video can boost trust, but it can also kill conversions for customers on tight bundles.
A lot of Ghana customers browse on limited data. If your content strategy depends on long videos for basic product info, you’re unintentionally filtering out the most price-sensitive buyers—often the same people who are ready to buy if you make it simple.
3) Manual order handling and “lost in chat” receipts
Answer first: Manual tracking increases errors, creates payment disputes, and slows fulfilment.
When orders live only in chats:
- You miss addresses
- You confuse variations
- You forget who paid
- Customers resend screenshots (more data)
That’s not just messy—it’s expensive.
AI that helps SMEs sell with less data (and less stress)
Answer first: The most useful AI for social commerce in Ghana is the kind that reduces message volume, speeds up decisions, and standardises checkout—without forcing customers into complicated apps.
When people hear “AI,” they think big budgets. The reality? The best wins are boring:
- Fast replies
- Clear catalogs
- Consistent pricing
- Smooth Mobile Money payment flow
Here are practical AI plays that fit Ghanaian SME life.
AI play #1: A DM/WhatsApp assistant that answers in your tone
Answer first: Automating FAQs can cut repetitive chats and reduce time-to-first-response, which directly improves conversion rates.
Set up an assistant to instantly handle:
- Price lists
- Stock availability prompts (with simple options)
- Delivery zones and fees
- Business hours
- Return policy
What works in practice:
- Keep answers short and mobile-friendly
- Offer two-step choices (“Pick size: S/M/L”)
- Escalate to a human when it’s a serious buyer (“Type 1 to pay now”)
This matters because slow replies are a silent killer in social commerce. If data prices climb, customers won’t spend all day waiting while spending bundles.
AI play #2: Turn chats into structured orders automatically
Answer first: Converting chat details into an order record reduces resends, disputes, and fulfilment errors.
A lightweight workflow can capture:
- Name
- Product + variant
- Location
- Delivery option
- Payment method
Once it’s structured, you can track it like a mini-ERP—even if you’re still a 2-person business.
AI play #3: Content that sells without burning bundles
Answer first: Data-efficient content wins in high-cost environments: compressed images, short captions that answer objections, and “saveable” posts.
Try this content mix:
- 1 clear product image (front-lit, simple background)
- One carousel: price, sizes/variants, delivery info, how to order
- A short 8–12 second clip only when motion matters (e.g., fabric drape)
I’ve found that many SMEs post like creators, not like merchants. A merchant answers questions before they’re asked.
AI play #4: Predict what to restock using simple sales signals
Answer first: Forecasting reduces cash tied in dead stock and cuts the data/time spent marketing products people don’t buy.
Even basic AI predictions using:
- Weekly sales by item
- Inquiry volume per item
- Seasonality (December rush, January reset, Easter)
…helps you focus your marketing on what moves.
AI ne Fintech: Make Mobile Money checkout frictionless
Answer first: When data is expensive, payment must be fast and unambiguous; tight Mobile Money flows reduce back-and-forth and increase trust.
This series is about how AI and fintech strengthen operations. Here’s the connection: every unclear payment step creates more messages, more screenshots, more delays—and more data cost.
A better Mobile Money flow for social commerce
Answer first: Standardise your payment instructions and automate confirmations where possible.
Use a consistent structure customers can copy-paste:
- Amount (including delivery)
- MoMo number + name
- Reference format (e.g.,
NAME-PRODUCT-AREA) - What happens after payment (delivery time, proof)
Then tighten reconciliation:
- Ask for one proof (transaction ID, not multiple screenshots)
- Maintain a simple paid/unpaid tracker (sheet or tool)
- Send a standard confirmation message with delivery ETA
If you can automate payment confirmation messaging (even partially), you’ll reduce repeated “Have you received it?” pings.
Fraud and trust: the hidden cost of expensive data
Answer first: Higher data costs push users to riskier shortcuts; SMEs must protect customers with clear verification steps.
During the festive season and into Q1, scams rise across many markets. If customers are anxious and spending limited data, they’re more likely to fall for fake screenshots or rushed payment instructions.
Keep it simple:
- One official number
- One official name
- One official reference style
- A pinned post/status with payment steps
Consistency beats persuasion.
What Ghana SMEs should do in the next 14 days (practical checklist)
Answer first: Don’t wait for a data hike to “adapt.” Standardise your social commerce process now so you can sell even when connectivity gets tougher.
Here’s a two-week action plan that doesn’t require a big budget:
- Audit your top 20 customer questions and write short answers (one screen each).
- Create a pinned “How to Order” message for WhatsApp and a highlights section for Instagram.
- Convert your best-selling products into a lightweight catalog (images + price + variants + delivery notes).
- Set response rules: instant reply for FAQs; human follow-up only for high-intent actions (size selection, delivery confirmation, payment).
- Standardise MoMo checkout: one number, one reference format, one confirmation template.
- Reduce heavy media: compress images; keep videos short and purposeful.
- Track orders in a simple pipeline: New → Confirmed → Paid → Dispatched → Delivered.
These steps cut data usage because they cut repeated conversations.
Where this leaves us: affordability is a business risk now
Safaricom Ethiopia’s reported data price hike is a loud reminder that digital access is not guaranteed to stay affordable. For SMEs built on Instagram and WhatsApp, that’s not just a consumer issue—it’s a margin issue.
The good news is that social commerce can still grow, even under cost pressure, if you run it like an operation: AI for automation, fintech discipline for payments, and content that answers questions quickly. That’s exactly the direction this AI ne Fintech series keeps pointing to—less chaos, more control.
If data prices rose by 40% in your market tomorrow, would your sales process still work… or would it collapse under endless DMs and payment confusion?