The verdict in three sentences
For a food wholesaler in Dakar, a B2B ordering portal costs between 6,000,000 and 14,000,000 FCFA (about 9,150 to 21,350 EUR) in 2026 depending on how deeply it connects to stock and accounting. The return comes less from new customers than from fewer order errors and a higher average basket (roughly +22% thanks to suggestions). A well-scoped project ships in 10 to 16 weeks, provided you start with the catalogue, price lists and delivery zones.
What a wholesaler B2B site must do (and what it costs)
A wholesaler site is not a consumer shop. The shopkeeper in Pikine or the restaurant in Almadies wants to find their usual list, see their negotiated price, order in 2 minutes on mobile and know when the truck comes. Each feature has a clear cost.
| Feature | Value for the wholesaler | Indicative 2026 budget (FCFA excl. tax) |
|---|---|---|
| B2B catalogue, 800 to 2,000 SKUs | Product pages, units (case, bag, pallet), photos | 1,200,000 to 2,000,000 |
| Volume and customer-specific pricing | 10/50/100-case tiers, negotiated prices | 900,000 to 1,800,000 |
| Repeat orders and favourites list | Reorder last week's order in 1 click | 600,000 to 1,200,000 |
| Zone-based delivery and time slots | Plateau, Pikine, Rufisque, Thiès, fee per zone | 500,000 to 1,100,000 |
| Wave, Orange Money, cash on delivery, customer credit | Credit limit per customer, reminders | 900,000 to 2,000,000 |
| Stock sync (ERP or management software) | Visible stock-outs, stock reservation | 1,200,000 to 3,500,000 |
| Suggestions and upsell | Related products, restock reminders | 700,000 to 1,500,000 |
| Field sales app (PWA) | Order taking by sales reps | 0 to 900,000 |
A base without ERP integration sits around 6,000,000 FCFA. With real-time sync, customer credit and a sales rep app, you reach 12,000,000 to 14,000,000 FCFA.
Three packages to decide
| Criterion | Base | Growth | Integrated |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget excl. tax | 6,000,000 FCFA | 9,000,000 FCFA | 14,000,000 FCFA |
| Delivery time | 10 weeks | 12 weeks | 16 weeks |
| Target connected customers | 300 | 900 | 900 + sales reps |
| Stock | Daily CSV import | Sync every 15 min | Real time via API |
| Payment | Wave + cash on delivery | Wave, Orange Money, customer credit | Same + accounting reconciliation |
| Hosting and maintenance / month | 75,000 FCFA | 150,000 FCFA | 250,000 FCFA |
| Team training | 1 day | 2 days | 3 days + field support |
The Growth package is the best trade-off for a wholesaler with 900 customers: it covers repeat ordering and mobile payments without requiring an API-ready ERP from day one.
What makes projects fail in Dakar
The first trap is a messy catalogue: duplicate product codes, inconsistent units, prices spread across three Excel files. Plan 2 to 3 weeks of clean-up on the wholesaler side. The second is adoption: shopkeepers have ordered via WhatsApp for years. Keep that channel, with an order link sent through WhatsApp and an automatic reminder on the customer's usual ordering day. The third is connectivity: the site must work on 3G, with pages under 500 KB and a photo-free "quick list" mode.
Mini case study
Moussa, manager of a food wholesaler in Dakar, serves 900 customers with an average basket of 185,000 FCFA and about 3,600 orders a month. He picks the Growth package at 9,000,000 FCFA. After six months, 55% of orders go through the portal. On those 1,980 orders, the basket rises 22%, i.e. +40,700 FCFA per order. Additional revenue reaches about 80,600,000 FCFA a month; at an 8% gross margin, that is 6,450,000 FCFA of extra monthly margin. Add two data-entry roles reassigned (about 500,000 FCFA a month). The project pays back in under two months at full run rate (estimate).
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FAQ
How much does a B2B e-commerce site for a Dakar wholesaler cost in 2026?
Budget 6,000,000 FCFA for a working base and up to 14,000,000 FCFA with real-time stock sync. Maintenance ranges from 75,000 to 250,000 FCFA a month.
Can we keep cash on delivery?
Yes, and it is recommended at launch: 60 to 70% of small retailers still pay cash or by Wave on receipt. The site records the payment method and the driver confirms collection on their phone.
How do we handle different prices per customer?
We create price groups (shopkeeper, restaurant, semi-wholesaler) and volume tiers, for example -3% from 50 cases. Each logged-in customer only sees their own price.
Do we need an ERP to start?
No. A daily CSV stock import is enough for the first 300 customers. API integration, between 1,200,000 and 3,500,000 FCFA, pays off once unflagged stock-outs exceed 2% of order lines.
How long before customers adopt the portal?
As a rough 2026 benchmark, 30% of orders move online within 3 months and 50 to 60% within 6 months, if sales reps coach customers and the WhatsApp link stays the entry point.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of SKUs, customers and delivery zones and we will price the right B2B portal, from 6,000,000 to 14,000,000 FCFA, with a 10 to 16 week 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.
