The verdict in three sentences
For a beverage distributor serving 1,800 outlets with 25 field sales reps, a B2B ordering portal with a mobile app costs 12,000,000 to 25,000,000 FCFA (about 18,300 to 38,100 EUR), plus 2,400,000 FCFA a year for hosting. The value comes from three specific features: channel pricing (shop, minimarket, on-trade, sub-wholesaler), controlled customer credit and offline order taking for poorly covered areas. The target is 15% more orders per outlet and a clear drop in stock-outs. The figures below come from Dakar projects and give a reference point for FMCG distributors across West Africa; local hosting and SMS costs vary by country.
The 2026 budget in FCFA
Ordering by phone or WhatsApp works while volumes are low. At 1,800 outlets, it produces missed orders, pricing errors between channels and uncontrolled credit deliveries.
| Module | 2026 range (FCFA) | What it delivers |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery, user flows and mock-ups | 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 | Pricing rules, approval flows |
| Web portal for shops and minimarkets | 3,500,000 to 7,000,000 | Order in 2 minutes from a phone, history |
| Field rep app (Android, offline mode) | 3,500,000 to 7,500,000 | Routes, order taking, collections |
| Channel pricing and promotions | 1,500,000 to 3,000,000 | On-trade, shop, sub-wholesaler prices, volume discounts |
| Customer credit and limits | 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 | Block above authorised exposure |
| Mobile money payment (Wave, Orange Money) | 800,000 to 1,500,000 | Pay on order or on delivery |
| Back-office connection and dashboards | 700,000 to 1,500,000 | Sales by area, rep, product |
| Total project | 12,000,000 to 25,000,000 | 2026 order of magnitude |
Recurring costs: hosting and backups 2,400,000 FCFA a year, confirmation SMS at 15 to 25 FCFA each, maintenance 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA a month depending on service level.
What the portal changes in the field
| Metric | Phone or WhatsApp ordering | Portal and app |
|---|---|---|
| Orders per outlet per month | 3.2 on average | 3.7 (+15%) |
| Pricing errors between channels | frequent, 4 to 6% of invoices | under 1% |
| Stock-outs reported on visits | 12 to 15% of visits | 6 to 8% |
| Visits per rep per day | 18 to 22 | 25 to 30 |
| Receivables over 30 days | not tracked in real time | automatic alerts |
| Order transmission time | 2 to 24 hours | instant |
The 15% gain comes mainly from suggested reorders: the shop sees its last orders and repeats the basket in one tap, and the rep sees what is missing before walking in.
Points to watch in the field
Connectivity. Parts of suburban and peri-urban areas still have unstable 3G: the app must save orders offline and sync when the network returns. Payment. Many shopkeepers pay cash on delivery; mobile money should be offered without being imposed, with automatic payment reconciliation. Usability. Simple screens with product photos and pack sizes (33 cl, 1.5 L, crate) reduce errors more than a long text catalogue.
Mini case study
Mr Ndiaye, sales director of a beverage distributor in Dakar, serves 1,800 outlets with an average basket of 85,000 FCFA. At 3.2 orders a month, monthly revenue reaches 1,800 × 3.2 × 85,000 = 489,600,000 FCFA. A 15% increase adds 73,440,000 FCFA of sales a month. At a 12% gross margin, that is 8,800,000 FCFA of extra margin a month. An 18,000,000 FCFA project is covered in just over 2 months at cruising speed, even allowing six months of ramp-up.
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FAQ
How long does deployment take?
Allow 3 to 5 months: 4 weeks of discovery, 8 to 12 weeks of development, then a one-month pilot on 150 outlets before full rollout.
Will shopkeepers use the portal?
Not all at first. Distributors who succeed start by equipping reps, then move 20 to 30% of shops to self-service ordering in year one, often with a 1% discount on online orders.
Can customer credit be managed safely?
Yes, the app blocks any order above authorised exposure and alerts the credit manager. Distributors typically see a 20 to 30% drop in receivables over 30 days.
Do we need an app or is a website enough?
For reps, an offline Android app is essential. For shops, a progressive web app is enough and saves 1,500,000 to 3,000,000 FCFA of native development.
How do we integrate mobile money?
Through the providers' merchant APIs, with automatic payment confirmation on the order. Fees stay around 1% of the transaction in Senegal, negotiable with volume.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of outlets, reps and your back-office software: we will estimate the portal, the app and the rollout plan. Detailed quote within 48 h. 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.
