The verdict in three sentences
A building materials distributor in Africa running 3 depots and 900 SKUs on notebooks or spreadsheets only sees stock-outs when the customer is already at the counter. Custom multi-depot inventory software costs 7,000,000 to 15,000,000 FCFA (about 10,700 to 22,900 EUR), with a 3 month timeline, and handles what imported tools handle poorly: credit sales to contractors and inter-depot transfers. The measurable gain comes fast: stock discrepancies down 70% and stock-outs on key products cut by three.
What stock-outs and discrepancies cost
In building materials, a few products make most of the revenue: cement, rebar, roofing sheets, tiles, plumbing. A cement stock-out on a Monday morning sends the contractor to a competitor, sometimes for the whole duration of the site.
| Problem (2026 order of magnitude) | Assumption for 3 depots | Estimated monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| Lost sales on stock-outs | 40 stock-outs, 250,000 FCFA average revenue lost | 10,000,000 FCFA revenue, about 1,500,000 FCFA margin (2,290 EUR) |
| Inventory discrepancies (breakage, theft, errors) | 1.5% of a 180,000,000 FCFA stock per year | 2,250,000 FCFA (3,430 EUR) |
| Poorly tracked receivables | 5% of 40,000,000 FCFA credit unrecovered | 2,000,000 FCFA (3,050 EUR) |
| Tied-up overstock | 20,000,000 FCFA excess, 1% monthly financing cost | 200,000 FCFA (305 EUR) |
| Manual stocktaking time | 6 people, 2 days a month | 300,000 FCFA (460 EUR) |
| Total | about 6,250,000 FCFA (9,530 EUR) |
Price of custom inventory software
| Module | Scope | Indicative 2026 budget |
|---|---|---|
| Items and multi-depot stock | 900 SKUs, units (bag, tonne, bar), stock per depot | 1,500,000 - 3,000,000 FCFA |
| Sales and point of sale | Quotes, invoices, delivery notes, discounts | 1,500,000 - 3,000,000 FCFA |
| Credit sales | Per-customer limit, due dates, SMS reminders, outstanding balance | 1,000,000 - 2,500,000 FCFA |
| Purchasing and reorder alerts | Thresholds, supplier orders, receipts | 1,000,000 - 2,500,000 FCFA |
| Inter-depot transfers | Transfer notes, truck tracking | 500,000 - 1,500,000 FCFA |
| Mobile stocktaking | Smartphone app, offline mode | 800,000 - 1,500,000 FCFA |
| Dashboards | Margins, turnover, receivables | 700,000 - 1,000,000 FCFA |
| Total project | 7,000,000 - 15,000,000 FCFA (10,700 - 22,900 EUR) |
Offline mode is essential: power and internet outages remain frequent, and sales must continue then sync. Hosting and maintenance cost 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA a month (150 to 380 EUR). Receivable payments via Orange Money or Wave can be built in to speed up collections.
Imported, generic or custom software
| Criterion | Generic POS software | Imported business suite | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | 500,000 - 1,500,000 FCFA | 3,000,000 - 8,000,000 FCFA | 7,000,000 - 15,000,000 FCFA |
| Multi-depot | Rarely | Yes | Yes |
| Credit sales with limits | No | Partial | Yes |
| Mixed units (bag, tonne, bar) | Limited | Yes | Yes |
| Offline mode | Variable | Rarely | Yes |
| Local support | Weak | Often abroad | Yes |
Mini case study
Mr Traoré runs a building materials business in Bamako: 3 depots in Kalaban Coura, Sébénikoro and Faladié, 900 SKUs, 25 staff. He picks a 11,000,000 FCFA scope (16,770 EUR) delivered in 3 months. Expected result: inventory discrepancies down 70% (1,575,000 FCFA saved a month), stock-outs cut by three (1,000,000 FCFA of margin recovered) and half of lost receivables recovered (1,000,000 FCFA). Monthly gain: 3,575,000 FCFA, minus 180,000 FCFA of maintenance. The software pays back in just over 3 months after go-live.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
How much does inventory software for a materials distributor cost?
7,000,000 to 15,000,000 FCFA (10,700 to 22,900 EUR) for custom multi-depot software with credit sales, plus 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA a month of maintenance.
Does the software work during outages?
Yes, the point-of-sale app and mobile stocktaking work offline and sync as soon as the network returns, with no lost sale.
How are credit sales to contractors handled?
Each customer has a limit, due dates and an outstanding balance visible at the counter. SMS reminders go out at D-3 and collection can run through Orange Money or Wave.
How long does it take to start?
About 3 months: 3 weeks of scoping, 7 weeks of development, then an initial stocktake of 2 to 3 days per depot.
What gain on stock discrepancies?
With mobile cycle counting and transfer notes, discrepancies drop by about 70% within 6 months, as an order of magnitude.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of depots, SKUs and credit volume: we price software between 7,000,000 and 15,000,000 FCFA delivered in 3 months. 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.