The verdict in three sentences
A B2B SaaS MVP built by a French-speaking team in Dakar costs 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR) for a single core feature, and 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) once you need recurring subscriptions, multiple client companies and user roles, in the 2026 Kolonell grid. The realistic timeline is 8 to 12 weeks, provided you cut, without regret, everything that does not serve the first sale. Fixed costs after launch run at around 105,000 to 155,000 FCFA a month (hosting and maintenance), a threshold that 8 to 10 paying customers are enough to cover.
What each budget level includes
A Berlin startup targeting SMEs in the French-speaking WAEMU zone (Senegal, Ivory Coast, Mali and others) faces two constraints: a limited budget and a 90-day window to prove that companies pay. The table below shows what you get at each level of the Kolonell grid (2026 order of magnitude).
| Component | Simple MVP (2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA) | MVP with subscriptions and roles (4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA) |
|---|---|---|
| Core feature (only one) | Yes, full user journey | Yes, with business variants |
| Sign up, login, password reset | Yes | Yes, with team invitations |
| Multi-tenant (one database, several clients) | No, one account per client | Yes, data isolated per company |
| Roles (admin, manager, viewer) | Single role | 3 to 4 configurable roles |
| Wave and Orange Money payments | One-off payment | Monthly subscription with reminders |
| Founder dashboard (MRR, churn) | Simple export | Real-time metrics |
| Delivery time | 8 weeks | 10 to 12 weeks |
For comparison, a European agency commonly charges 40,000 to 80,000 EUR (market estimate) for a scope equivalent to the second level. The gap comes from labour costs, not code quality: the stack (Next.js, PostgreSQL, cloud hosting) is the same.
Keep or cut: the launch list
The MVP exists to check that a Senegalese or Ivorian SME will pay to solve one specific problem. Every feature that does not answer that question delays the proof.
| Feature | Launch decision | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Core feature that saves time or money | Keep | It is what the client pays for |
| Wave and Orange Money payments | Keep | Dominant payment methods for SMEs in the region |
| Responsive mobile interface | Keep | Most business owners log in from a smartphone |
| Native iOS and Android app | Cut | Mobile web is enough, a native app doubles the budget |
| English version | Cut if the target is French-speaking | Add it when an English-speaking client signs |
| Accounting integrations (Sage, local software) | Cut | An Excel export covers 90 % of early needs |
| Offline mode | Keep for field use, otherwise cut | Costs 10 to 15 % of the budget |
| Referral programme, gamification | Cut | Useful after 50 clients, not before |
Fees on mobile money payments sit around 1 to 2 % depending on the operator and contract (2026 order of magnitude). On a 15,000 FCFA subscription, that is 150 to 300 FCFA per client per month, to be built into the price.
Costs after going live
An MVP in production has fixed costs, small but real. Cloud hosting, database, transactional email and backups come to 30,000 to 80,000 FCFA a month (50 to 120 EUR, estimate depending on traffic). Kolonell Standard maintenance, covering fixes, security updates and small changes, costs 75,000 FCFA a month (110 EUR). The Basic level at 35,000 FCFA is fine while the product has fewer than 20 clients.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Lena, co-founder of a Berlin startup building a field service scheduling SaaS for refrigeration and air conditioning companies in Dakar and Abidjan. She picks a simple MVP at 3,500,000 FCFA (5,340 EUR): technician schedule, job sheets signed on mobile, invoicing through Wave. Hosting estimated at 45,000 FCFA a month, Standard maintenance at 75,000 FCFA a month.
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First-year cost: 3,500,000 + 540,000 + 900,000 = 4,940,000 FCFA (about 7,530 EUR). With a subscription at 15,000 FCFA a month (about 23 EUR), 8 clients cover the monthly fixed costs of 120,000 FCFA. To recover the whole first year, she needs the equivalent of 28 clients subscribed for 12 months. That is the figure Lena puts in front of her pre-seed investors.
FAQ
Can you really launch a SaaS MVP in 90 days?
Yes, if the core feature is unique and validated by 5 to 10 client interviews before development. Development takes 8 to 12 weeks; the rest of the time goes into scoping and first tests with pilot SMEs.
Who owns the code and data?
The founders own the source code and data from delivery. This is essential for fundraising, since an investor will check intellectual property during due diligence.
Do you need a local entity to collect payments through Wave and Orange Money?
Yes, a merchant account usually requires a NINEA in Senegal or a business registration in the relevant country. Allow 1 to 3 weeks to open it, started in parallel with development.
How much do new features cost after launch?
Small changes fall under monthly maintenance. A full new module gets a separate quote based on its size; plan on average 2 to 4 weeks of development per module.
Will the MVP hold up if the product takes off?
A standard architecture easily supports several hundred client companies. Beyond 1,000 active clients, plan a targeted optimisation rather than a rewrite.
Let's scope your project. B2B SaaS MVP with one core feature, Wave and Orange Money payments and a founder dashboard: indicative budget 2,500,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 10,670 EUR) depending on level, delivered in 8 to 12 weeks. 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.
