The verdict in three sentences
Web hosting is the simplest recurring revenue to stack onto a digital business: every delivered site becomes a monthly subscription. In white-label, you bill 25,000 to 75,000 FCFA/month for an infrastructure cost of 5,000 to 15,000 FCFA, i.e. 60 to 80 % margin. At 30 sites, that's 600,000 to 1,800,000 FCFA/month of passive, predictable income.
The economics of the white-label reseller
A reseller pack pools infrastructure: you pay one global subscription and carve out client accounts under your brand. The client never sees the upstream provider; they see your name, your invoice, your support. That's what turns simple reselling into a recurring asset.
| Offer | Client price/mo | Real cost/mo | Margin | Recurring | Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Showcase hosting | 25,000 FCFA | 5,000 FCFA | 80 % | Yes | SMEs, artisans |
| E-commerce hosting | 45,000 FCFA | 12,000 FCFA | 73 % | Yes | Online stores |
| Pro hosting + backup | 60,000 FCFA | 15,000 FCFA | 75 % | Yes | Demanding SMEs |
| Premium hosting + CDN | 75,000 FCFA | 18,000 FCFA | 76 % | Yes | High traffic |
| Maintenance + hosting | 90,000 FCFA | 20,000 FCFA | 78 % | Yes | Managed clients |
*2026 orders of magnitude. Real cost includes server, backups and basic support.*
Revenue projection at scale
The model becomes powerful with volume: each new site adds a recurring brick with no significant marginal cost. Here is the projection by number of hosted sites, at an average price of 45,000 FCFA/month and a 73 % margin.
| Number of sites | Gross revenue/mo | Cost/mo | Net margin/mo | Net margin/yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 sites | 450,000 FCFA | 120,000 FCFA | 330,000 FCFA | 3,960,000 FCFA |
| 20 sites | 900,000 FCFA | 240,000 FCFA | 660,000 FCFA | 7,920,000 FCFA |
| 30 sites | 1,350,000 FCFA | 360,000 FCFA | 990,000 FCFA | 11,880,000 FCFA |
| 50 sites | 2,250,000 FCFA | 600,000 FCFA | 1,650,000 FCFA | 19,800,000 FCFA |
| 100 sites | 4,500,000 FCFA | 1,200,000 FCFA | 3,300,000 FCFA | 39,600,000 FCFA |
Mini case study
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Cheikh, a freelance developer in Thiès, has delivered 34 sites in two years. He migrates all his clients onto a branded white-label reseller pack. Average billed price: 40,000 FCFA/month, real cost: 11,000 FCFA/month. Net margin per site: 29,000 FCFA. Across 34 sites: 34 × 29,000 = 986,000 FCFA/month of recurring revenue, nearly 11,800,000 FCFA/year, earned while he builds new projects.
Combining hosting and referrals
The hosting reseller is also a natural referrer: their clients need redesigns, e-commerce, marketplaces. By recommending Kolonell, they add a commission on top of their recurring: 15 % on a showcase, 12 % on an e-commerce, 10 % on a marketplace, 8 % on institutional — plus 5 % recurring on showcase and e-commerce maintenance contracts. The same client then generates two streams: hosting and referral commission.
FAQ
Do you need advanced technical skills? A reseller pack handles the heavy infrastructure for you. You need to create a client account, point a domain and provide first-level support. Kolonell can also operate the white-label hosting on your behalf.
What realistic margin to expect? Between 60 and 80 % depending on the offer. Showcase hosting at 25,000 FCFA for 5,000 FCFA cost gives 80 %; a more resource-hungry e-commerce drops to around 73 %. The margin stays far above any one-off service.
Is the recurring really stable? Yes, as long as the site stays online. Hosting retention is high (80-90 %/year) because switching hosts is a hassle for the client. It's the most predictable revenue in a digital business.
Can I bill via Wave and Orange Money? Absolutely. Recurring billing via mobile money is ideal for the market: simple monthly charge, traceable, no bank card needed. It's a strong conversion argument for local SMEs.
How long to reach 30 sites? A freelancer or small agency delivering 1 to 2 sites a month reaches 30 hosted sites in 18 to 30 months. At that point, the recurring (nearly 1,000,000 FCFA/month) often covers all fixed costs.
Let's talk about your project. Launch your white-label hosting offer and stack recurring revenue on every site. 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.
