The verdict in three sentences
A matter-management MVP costs between 7 and 14 M FCFA in 2026, a full platform (matters, OHADA deadlines, FCFA/EUR billing, confidentiality) between 18 and 35 M FCFA. Maintenance runs 200,000 to 500,000 FCFA/month with a 10 to 16 week timeline. With virtually no localized OHADA legal tools on the market, custom captures 8 to 15 % of billed revenue through fees that are no longer forgotten.
What the software costs by scope
Ivorian business law firms juggle OHADA procedures, strict deadlines and international clients billed in foreign currency. Here is the pricing by tier.
| Scope | Key features | 2026 cost (FCFA) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| MVP | Matter management, contacts, documents, deadlines | 7 – 14 M | 10–12 wks |
| Intermediate | + time billing, fees, shared calendar | 14 – 22 M | 12–14 wks |
| Full platform | + FCFA/EUR multi-currency, client portal, hardened security | 18 – 35 M | 14–16 wks |
| Maintenance | Fixes, evolutions, hosting | 200,000 – 500,000 /mo | Recurring |
| FCFA/EUR multi-currency | International client billing | included in platform | — |
The central stake is managing OHADA procedure deadlines: a missed deadline costs far more than the software itself.
Modules vs cost and ROI on fees
The real value pool is the end of forgotten fees and billing delays. Here is the numeric impact per module.
| Module | 2026 cost (FCFA) | Main gain |
|---|---|---|
| Matter management | 7 – 12 M | Zero lost matter, full history |
| OHADA deadlines | 3 – 6 M | No missed procedure deadline |
| Time-based billing | 4 – 8 M | + 8 to 15 % billed revenue |
| FCFA/EUR multi-currency | 2 – 5 M | International clients billed at the right rate |
| Security & confidentiality | 3 – 7 M | Professional privilege guaranteed |
For a firm billing 300 M FCFA/year, recovering 10 % of revenue currently lost equals 30 M FCFA/year, more than the cost of a full platform in the first year.
Mini case study
Me Koffi runs a 9-lawyer business law firm in Abidjan billing about 240 M FCFA/year. For lack of a reliable timesheet he estimates losing 12 % of unbilled fees, i.e. 28.8 M FCFA/year. A 26 M FCFA custom platform with time billing and OHADA deadlines recovers two thirds of those lost fees, i.e. ~19 M FCFA/year, and prevents two missed procedure deadlines per year. The platform pays for itself in under 18 months, maintenance included.
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FAQ
Are there off-the-shelf legal tools fit for OHADA?
Very few. French solutions (Secib, Kleos) handle neither OHADA procedure deadlines nor FCFA/EUR multi-currency billing, which is why localized custom software matters.
How much is the lightest MVP?
A matter-management MVP with contacts, documents and deadlines starts at 7 M FCFA and ships in 10 to 12 weeks.
Does it handle euro billing for international clients?
Yes, on the platform version: FCFA/EUR multi-currency billing at the day's rate, with automatic reminders. Budget 2 to 5 M FCFA for that module.
How is matter confidentiality ensured?
Through data encryption, fine-grained access rights and controlled hosting. The security module costs 3 to 7 M FCFA and guarantees professional privilege.
What ROI can I concretely expect?
Between 8 and 15 % of billed revenue recovered through the reliable timesheet and fees that are no longer forgotten, often above the platform cost in the first year.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of lawyers, priority needs (OHADA deadlines, billing, multi-currency) and an indicative budget between 7 and 35 M FCFA. 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.
