ChatGPT now sells ads to businesses in Nigeria and South Africa

OpenAI has opened ChatGPT Ads to businesses in Nigeria and South Africa. The company announced the move on Wednesday. It adds 26 countries and brings the total to 89. The cheapest way in is $25 a day, billed in US dollars, so bank fees matter.

What changed

ChatGPT Ads puts a brand in front of people while they chat with the AI about ideas, options or a purchase. OpenAI says more than 100,000 advertisers have run campaigns since the service launched just over eight months ago.

In the new markets, businesses can buy ads through technology partners or directly through OpenAI's self-service Ads Manager. A Lagos fashion retailer could appear when someone asks for wedding outfit ideas. A Cape Town travel company could appear when someone plans a holiday.

What it costs

The minimum daily budget for campaigns billed in dollars is $25. That is roughly ₦33,367 or 412.58 South African rand. The figure is averaged over seven days, so spending can rise and fall within the weekly limit.

OpenAI's minimum-budget table does not list the naira or the rand. Advertisers paying in dollars also bear their bank's conversion and card charges. A small Abuja bakery running 30 days at the minimum would spend about $750, or roughly ₦1,001,016, before those charges.

How campaigns work

• Views: you pay per 1,000 impressions, meaning times the ad is shown.
• Clicks: you pay per valid click.
• Conversions: delivery aims at actions such as a purchase or registration.

Results appear in Ads Manager. OpenAI's Measurement Pixel and Conversions API also record purchases, registrations and lead submissions after people interact with an ad.

Limits to know

Access does not mean worldwide reach on day one. Some new self-service accounts can only advertise in their home country at first. International targeting opens after identity checks and the required ad spend in that market. A Nigerian exporter hoping to reach South African shoppers may have to start with local customers.

OpenAI says ads are clearly labelled and kept separate from ChatGPT's answers, and that advertising does not influence those answers. It says conversations stay private from advertisers and that it does not sell customer data. Ads appear on the Free and Go plans. Plus, Pro and Enterprise stay ad-free.

This report does not say how well the ads perform for businesses, so any first campaign is a test.