The verdict in three sentences
For a Dubai-based group with import-distribution subsidiaries in the Maghreb, a custom sales management web app costs AED 120,000 to 300,000 (about USD 33,000 to 82,000) and ships in 12 to 16 weeks. For a single Algerian entity built locally, the same scope runs 2.5 to 7 million DZD. In-country hosting and local payment rails (CIB and EDAHABIA in Algeria) are not optional: data protection laws and B2B customer expectations make them mandatory.
What a custom sales management app covers
Legacy point-of-sale tools installed on a single PC, often bought between 2012 and 2018, handle neither multi-warehouse stock, nor customer credit per sales rep, nor remote access from Dubai. Data sits on a shop computer without reliable backup.
| Module | Function | Budget 2026 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Items and price lists | SKUs, families, prices per customer tier (wholesale, semi-wholesale, retail) | AED 8,000 to 16,000 |
| Multi-warehouse stock | Receipts, issues, transfers, counts, stock-out alerts | AED 14,000 to 32,000 |
| Sales and invoicing | Quotes, delivery notes, invoices with local tax IDs and VAT (19 % or 9 % in Algeria, 20 % in Morocco, 19 % in Tunisia) | AED 12,000 to 28,000 |
| Customer credit and collections | Limit per customer, due dates, reminders, partial payments | AED 10,000 to 22,000 |
| Purchasing and imports | Supplier orders, landed cost with freight and customs duties | AED 11,000 to 28,000 |
| Local online payments | CIB / EDAHABIA via SATIM in Algeria, CMI in Morocco | AED 8,000 to 20,000 per country |
| Group dashboard | Margin per family, warehouse, rep and country, consolidated in AED or USD | AED 10,000 to 30,000 |
| Data migration and training | Import from legacy tool, staff training per site | AED 5,000 to 12,000 |
A single-country core (items, stock, sales, credit) starts around AED 120,000 with a Dubai agency. A multi-country build with imports, payments and a consolidated dashboard reaches AED 220,000 to 300,000.
Local hosting and data protection
Algeria's Law 18-07 of 10 June 2018 on personal data protection, enforced by the ANPDP, governs processing of customer and employee data and restricts transfers abroad, which require prior authorisation. Morocco (Law 09-08, CNDP) and Tunisia have comparable regimes. Hosting each country's data in-country simplifies compliance and speeds up the app for local users.
| Hosting option | Monthly cost 2026 (estimate) | Algerian Law 18-07 | Latency from Algiers |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-premise server in the subsidiary | 0 + hardware 250,000 to 600,000 DZD (AED 7,000 to 16,000) | Yes, but backups to organise | Very low internally, fragile remote access |
| Algerian data centre (Algérie Télécom, licensed private operators) | 15,000 to 60,000 DZD (AED 400 to 1,650) | Yes | Low |
| UAE or European cloud | AED 250 to 1,200 | Transfer needs authorisation | Medium |
| Hybrid (database in Algeria, encrypted external backup) | 25,000 to 80,000 DZD (AED 700 to 2,200) | Yes if backup is encrypted and declared | Low |
The usual group pattern: one database per country hosted locally, with only aggregated, non-personal figures flowing to the Dubai dashboard.
Timeline and online payments
| Phase | Duration | Watch point |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and business rules | 2 weeks | Price tiers, credit rules, landed cost per country |
| Core build | 5 to 7 weeks | Review at every 2-week sprint |
| CIB / EDAHABIA integration | 2 to 3 weeks | Merchant agreement with an Algerian bank, SATIM certification |
| Data migration | 1 to 2 weeks | Deduplicate items and customers |
| Acceptance and training | 2 weeks | Run in parallel with the legacy tool |
Fees on CIB and EDAHABIA payments are low, around 0.5 to 1 % depending on the bank. Getting the online merchant agreement takes 3 to 8 weeks, so start the banking process on day one.
Mini case study
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Rashid, CFO of a Dubai trading group, oversees an Algiers subsidiary distributing hardware and electrical supplies (2 warehouses, 22 staff, 1,800 SKUs) still running 2014 point-of-sale software. Stock count variances reach 3 % of an inventory valued at 85 million DZD (about AED 2.3 million), and 18 million DZD of receivables are over 90 days past due.
He commissions a custom app for 4.8 million DZD (about AED 130,000), hosted in Algeria for 35,000 DZD a month. Stock variances fall to 1 %, avoiding 1.7 million DZD (AED 46,000) of losses a year. Credit tracking cuts receivables over 90 days to 8 million DZD, freeing 10 million DZD (AED 270,000) of working capital. Stock losses alone pay back the project in under 18 months, and the group finally sees Algerian margins in its Dubai dashboard every morning.
FAQ
Must Algerian data be hosted in Algeria?
Law 18-07 strictly regulates transfers of personal data abroad and requires prior authorisation. Local hosting at 15,000 to 60,000 DZD a month remains the simplest route for a subsidiary.
Are generated invoices compliant?
Yes, the app includes mandatory Algerian invoice details (NIF, NIS, RC, tax article), VAT at 19 % or 9 % and continuous numbering. Each additional country adds its own invoice template for AED 5,000 to 10,000.
How long to accept CIB and EDAHABIA payments?
Allow 3 to 8 weeks for the bank agreement and SATIM certification, then 2 to 3 weeks of integration. Fees run around 0.5 to 1 % per transaction.
Can legacy data be migrated?
In most cases yes, via Excel export or direct database reads. Migrating 1,800 SKUs and customer history takes 1 to 2 weeks.
What maintenance budget should we plan?
Between 12 and 18 % of the initial budget per year, about AED 16,000 to 23,000 for a AED 130,000 project. That covers fixes, backups and small regulatory updates.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your countries, warehouses, SKU count and sales channels: we will price the scope, an indicative budget in AED or DZD and a 12 to 16 week 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.
