The verdict in three sentences
Fish traders in Mbour and Ziguinchor juggle volatile daily prices and a buyer credit ledger that ties up cash for 3 days. An app that records landings canoe by canoe, computes the weighted average price per species and triggers Wave settlement at weigh-in brings the cash cycle down to 2 hours. For 70,000 FCFA/month, you gain the lot/species traceability required by the DPSP and EU buyers.
Why per-kilo price must be tracked in real time
On a landing quay, the price changes with arrival time, freshness and landed volume. Keeping these prices in your head or on a wet notebook produces margin errors at every transaction. The app locks the day's price per species and averages it across all landings.
| Species | 2026 avg price (FCFA/kg) | Typical volume/landing | Trader margin (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thiof (white grouper) | 3,200 | 200-400 kg | 12-18% |
| Grouper | 2,800 | 150-350 kg | 12-16% |
| Yaboi (sardinella) | 800 | 1-3 tonnes | 8-12% |
| Capitaine | 2,400 | 100-250 kg | 14-20% |
| Coastal shrimp | 4,500 | 50-150 kg | 15-22% |
| Sole | 2,100 | 80-200 kg | 12-16% |
*2026 order of magnitude, varies by season and quay.*
The weighted average price avoids selling at a loss a lot bought high when the price drops during the day.
The cash cycle: from 3 days to 2 hours
The real gain isn't data entry, it's cash flow. The buyer credit ledger (24h-72h) locks up cash. With Wave settlement triggered at weigh-in, money comes in before the fish leaves the quay.
| Step | Without app (notebook + cash) | With app + Wave |
|---|---|---|
| Landing entry | 15 min/canoe | 2 min/canoe |
| Average price calc | manual, error-prone | automatic |
| Buyer collection | 24-72h credit | Wave at weigh-in |
| Full cash delay | 3 days | 2 hours |
| Lot/species traceability | none | DPSP/EU export |
| Weigh-in disputes/month | 6-10 | 1-2 |
The export module generates the lot/species traceability required by EC 1224/2009 for European buyers.
Mini case study
Fatou, a fish trader in Mbour, handles 4 tonnes/landing, including 300 kg of thiof at 3,200 FCFA/kg, i.e. 960,000 FCFA on that species alone. Before the app, 28% of her sales went on 72h credit; on 4 tonnes valued at ~2,800,000 FCFA, that locked up ~784,000 FCFA for 3 days. With Wave settlement at weigh-in, she recovers that cash in 2 hours and reinvests in the next landing. App cost: 70,000 FCFA/month, paid back in the first week by a single extra cash rotation.
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FAQ
How much does the fish trader app cost per month?
The plan is 70,000 FCFA/month, including landing tracking, weighted average price, credit ledger and Wave settlement. No heavy hardware: one smartphone per team is enough.
Does it work without good connectivity on the quay?
Yes, landing entry works offline and syncs once back in a covered zone. Wave settlement needs 4G, generally available on the Mbour and Ziguinchor quays.
How does the app handle EU export traceability?
Each lot is tagged by species, canoe and date. The module generates traceability documents compliant with EC 1224/2009 required by European buyers and the DPSP.
Is the buyer credit ledger kept?
Yes, you keep the 24h-72h credit for loyal buyers, but the app shows the outstanding balance per buyer in real time and automatically chases at due date.
Does Wave take a commission at weigh-in?
Wave merchant fees in 2026 are around 1% on collections; the app builds them into the margin calculation so your net price stays fair.
Let's talk about your project. A demo on your own daily prices is enough to see the cash-flow gain. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
