The verdict in three sentences
A professional business website in Dakar costs between 350,000 and 900,000 FCFA in 2026 for 5 to 10 pages, rising to 1.2 to 3 million FCFA for a 15-25 page corporate site. The price mostly reflects person-time (local day rates of 80,000 to 180,000 FCFA) and the credibility you need in front of a buyer. To win contracts, the gap between a 400,000 FCFA freelancer and a structured agency is judged not on the initial quote but on service continuity.
The 2026 pricing grid in Dakar
The ranges below match work actually billed in Dakar in 2026 (order of magnitude), excluding ad campaigns. They assume content is supplied or co-written by the client.
| Site type | Pages | 2026 price (FCFA) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single landing page | 1 | 150,000 – 350,000 | 1 – 2 weeks |
| SME showcase | 5 – 10 | 350,000 – 900,000 | 3 – 5 weeks |
| Structured corporate | 15 – 25 | 1,200,000 – 3,000,000 | 6 – 8 weeks |
| Site + blog + SEO | 10 – 15 | 900,000 – 1,800,000 | 5 – 7 weeks |
| Full redesign | 15 – 30 | 1,500,000 – 3,500,000 | 8 – 10 weeks |
The day rate explains these gaps: a junior developer bills 80,000 FCFA/day, a senior or tech lead up to 180,000 FCFA/day. A 20-page corporate site uses 20 to 30 person-days split across design, build, copywriting and QA.
Recurring costs to budget from year one
The purchase price is only the visible part. A living site generates annual costs that a serious quote spells out upfront.
| Recurring item | 2026 cost (FCFA/yr) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Domain .com / .sn | 12,000 – 25,000 | Annual renewal |
| Shared hosting | 30,000 – 60,000 | Moderate traffic |
| Managed hosting / VPS | 80,000 – 120,000 | Security, backups |
| Maintenance (light) | 240,000 – 900,000 | 20,000 – 75,000 FCFA/mo |
| Advanced SSL | 0 – 45,000 | Often included |
A realistic first-year total for an ambitious Dakar SME: site 700,000 FCFA + 400,000 FCFA recurring = 1.1M FCFA.
Mini case study
Mr. Sarr runs a Dakar construction SME that bids on public tenders. His competitors show polished sites; his dates from 2018. He picks a 12-page corporate showcase at 850,000 FCFA, plus 420,000 FCFA/yr recurring (managed hosting + maintenance at 30,000 FCFA/mo). On a single contract won thanks to a stronger image — an 18M FCFA margin deal — the total digital investment of 1.27M FCFA pays back more than 14 times in year one. The question is no longer the site price but the cost of a bid lost for lack of credibility.
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FAQ
Is a 400,000 FCFA freelancer a bad choice?
Not necessarily for a simple landing page. But on a corporate site, the risk of disruption (unreachable freelancer, no backups, undocumented code) can cost 50 to 100% of the budget to redo. The 500,000 FCFA gap with an agency mostly buys continuity.
Why does a 20-page site cost more than 3x a 5-page one?
Because cost isn't linear: architecture, content governance, SEO and QA grow faster than page count. A corporate site takes 20 to 30 person-days versus 6 to 8 for a showcase.
How much for hosting in 2026?
From 30,000 FCFA/yr shared to 120,000 FCFA/yr managed with automatic backups. For a site that wins contracts, managed hosting is strongly advised.
Is content included in the price?
Rarely in full. Budget 100,000 to 300,000 FCFA for professional copywriting if you don't supply the text. A clear quote always separates design, build and content.
How long until a showcase site is delivered?
3 to 5 weeks for an SME showcase, 6 to 8 weeks for a corporate site, provided content and client approvals keep pace.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your sector, target page count and indicative budget: we'll give you a transparent FCFA grid and a realistic timeline. 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.
