The verdict in three sentences
For a construction engineering firm in Lagos running 40 projects, project management software linking timesheets, fees, interim valuations and documents costs USD 17,000 to 37,000 (about EUR 15,000 to 34,000) in 2026. Its first effect is making profitability visible per project: on average, 2 loss-making projects caught each quarter, in time to renegotiate. The second is financial, with fee invoicing brought forward by 3 weeks.
The problem: projects that look profitable on paper
In a 25 to 40-person engineering consultancy, engineers and draughtspeople rarely log their hours by project. Fees are invoiced by stage (concept, detailed design, tender, site supervision) when someone remembers, and interim valuations checked for the client circulate by email. A loss-making project is discovered at handover, when it is too late.
| Indicator (30-person firm, 40 projects) | Without software | With project management |
|---|---|---|
| Projects with known real margin | under 20% | 100%, updated weekly |
| Loss-making projects caught before completion | 0 to 1 a year | 2 a quarter |
| Time from stage completion to fee invoice | 4 to 6 weeks | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Fees left uninvoiced at year end | 5 to 8% | under 1% |
| Time to prepare an interim valuation | 1.5 days | 3 hours |
| Finding a drawing or site report | 20 to 40 minutes | under 2 minutes |
| Share of hours logged by project | 40 to 60% | 90 to 95% |
2026 orders of magnitude seen in engineering and design consultancies in West and Central Africa.
Modules and their 2026 cost
International project accounting tools for engineering firms cost EUR 40 to 90 per user per month, that is EUR 1,200 to 2,700 a month for 30 people, and rarely handle local withholding tax on fees or local VAT rules. A custom build starts from your own work stages and fee scales.
| Module | Scope | Indicative 2026 price |
|---|---|---|
| Project record and budget | Client, commission, stages, contract fees, hours budget | USD 2,500 to 5,000 |
| Timesheets | Weekly web and mobile sheet, approval by project lead | USD 2,500 to 5,800 |
| Fees and invoicing | Billing by stage, advances, withholdings, VAT, reminders | USD 3,300 to 6,600 |
| Interim valuations | Quantities, progress, cumulative totals, engineer sign-off, PDF export | USD 3,300 to 7,500 |
| Site document management | Drawings, revision indexes, reports, minutes, photos | USD 2,500 to 5,800 |
| Profitability dashboard | Margin by project, client and project lead, alerts | USD 2,500 to 5,800 |
| Hosting, maintenance, support | Servers, backups, enhancements | USD 330 to 750 a month |
The core (project record, timesheets, fees, dashboard) fits within USD 17,000 to 20,000 and ships in 10 weeks. Interim valuations and document management complete the platform afterwards.
Getting engineers to adopt it
Timesheet software nobody fills in is useless. Three rules work: logging takes under 3 minutes a week, the timesheet is prefilled with last week's projects, and complete timesheets are a condition for bonus payment. The completion rate then moves from 50% to over 90% within 2 months.
Mini case study
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Chidi, managing director of a 30-person engineering firm in Victoria Island, runs 40 projects for USD 1.08 million of yearly fees. He invests USD 26,500 in the core and interim valuations. Forgotten fees drop from 6% to under 1%, recovering about USD 53,000 a year. Two loss-making projects a quarter caught in time let him negotiate variations worth around USD 30,000 a year. Invoicing 3 weeks earlier frees close to USD 62,000 of cash. Annual maintenance: USD 6,000. The project pays back in under 5 months, before counting the cash flow gain.
FAQ
Does the software work on an unstable internet connection?
Yes, timesheets and site photos work offline on mobile and sync later. A timesheet page weighs under 300 KB so it stays usable on 3G.
Can we manage projects in Ghana or Côte d'Ivoire?
Yes, each project carries its own currency, VAT rate and withholdings. The naira stays the reference currency, with USD or EUR possible for donor-funded projects.
Does it replace our accounting software?
No, it exports invoices and payments to your accounting system. The connector usually costs USD 1,300 to 3,300.
How long does the project take?
Allow 2 weeks of scoping, 10 to 14 weeks of development and a one-month pilot on 5 projects before full rollout.
Is our data secure?
Access is named per user, every change is logged and backups run daily with 30 days of retention.
Let's scope your project. Send us your number of projects, staff and work stages: we will price a scope between USD 17,000 and 37,000, with the core live within 10 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.
