The verdict in three sentences
A client portal with a billing area is budgeted between 12M and 28M FCFA (18,000 to 43,000 EUR), depending on the number of payment methods and automations. The core gain is cash flow: integrated Wave and Orange Money payment cuts DSO by 15 to 25 days. The technical key is webhook-based reconciliation, without which payments do not match invoices automatically.
What the budget covers
Here is a 2026 order of magnitude for a francophone-Africa build, in FCFA, excluding payment-operator fees.
| Module | Indicative cost (FCFA) | Lead time |
|---|---|---|
| Portal core (auth, roles, dashboard) | 5,000,000 - 8,000,000 | 4-6 wks |
| Billing area (invoices, PDF, history) | 3,000,000 - 5,000,000 | 2-3 wks |
| Wave + Orange Money payment | 3,500,000 - 6,000,000 | 2-4 wks |
| Reconciliation webhooks | 2,000,000 - 3,500,000 | 1-2 wks |
| Automated dunning (SMS/email) | 1,500,000 - 2,500,000 | 1-2 wks |
| Accounting export (Sage, CSV, Odoo) | 1,500,000 - 3,000,000 | 1-2 wks |
A complete portal with billing and payment lands around 16M to 24M FCFA. Reconciliation webhooks are non-negotiable: they avoid manual matching of mobile-money payments.
Mobile payment fees to factor in
Development cost is not the only line: operator commissions hit your margin. 2026 estimate.
| Payment method | Indicative commission | Settlement time |
|---|---|---|
| Wave (merchant) | 1.0 - 1.5 % | D+1 to D+2 |
| Orange Money | 1.5 - 2.0 % | D+1 to D+3 |
| Free Money | 1.5 - 2.0 % | D+2 to D+3 |
| Card (international) | 2.5 - 3.5 % | D+2 to D+5 |
For an SMB collecting 40M FCFA/year, a Wave/OM mix at 1.5 % is about 600,000 FCFA/year in fees, far outweighed by the 15-25 days of DSO gained.
Mini case study
Me Diop, partner of a services firm in Dakar, billed 80 B2B clients by email with an average DSO of 52 days. After a 19M FCFA portal (core + billing + Wave/OM + webhooks + dunning), clients pay online as soon as the invoice arrives. DSO fell to 31 days, freeing about 6M FCFA of cash on 90M FCFA revenue. Manual dunning (2 days/month of an assistant) disappeared. ROI reached in 14 months, excluding the comfort gain.
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FAQ
Are Wave and Orange Money enough, or do we need cards?
For a local client base, Wave and Orange Money cover 80-90 % of collections. Add card payment (via a PSP) if you bill the diaspora or international clients.
What exactly do reconciliation webhooks do?
They automatically match each received payment to its invoice and update the status. Without them, an accountant matches payments by hand, a source of errors and delays.
Can dunning be automated?
Yes: scheduled SMS and email reminders at D+3, D+7, D+15. It is often the best-ROI module, cutting DSO with no human intervention.
Does the portal integrate with our accounting?
Yes, via structured CSV export or a connector (Sage, Odoo). Budget 1.5M to 3M FCFA depending on the software and desired automation.
How long until go-live?
A billing + payment portal ships in 8 to 12 weeks, with a first testable version by week 5-6.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your invoice volume, target payment methods and accounting software, and we will frame the budget. 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.
