The verdict in three sentences
A custom web app in Dakar budgets at 6,000,000 to 15,000,000 FCFA for an MVP, and 15,000,000 to 40,000,000 FCFA for a full business application in 2026. The realistic timeline runs from 3 to 6 months depending on scope, with hosting and support to plan from launch day. Annual maintenance is roughly 15 % of the development cost: a budget line, not an option.
What you actually pay for
The price of a custom app is not the code alone. It covers functional scoping, interface design, front and back development, payment integration (Wave, Orange Money), testing, deployment and data migration. A decision maker comparing two quotes should read the scope line by line, not the bottom total.
| Scope | Indicative 2026 cost (FCFA) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| MVP (1 core module) | 6,000,000 - 9,000,000 | 3 months |
| Standard app (3-4 modules) | 10,000,000 - 15,000,000 | 4 months |
| Full business application | 15,000,000 - 25,000,000 | 5 months |
| Complex app (multi-role, API) | 25,000,000 - 40,000,000 | 6 months |
| Existing data migration | + 1,500,000 - 4,000,000 | included |
The figures above assume a local Dakar team. Using nearshore can shift the total by 15 to 25 %.
Recurring costs after launch
An app lives on after delivery. Planning these lines avoids nasty surprises next quarter.
| Recurring item | 2026 estimate (FCFA) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Managed hosting | 25,000 - 75,000 | per month |
| Support and fixes | 50,000 - 150,000 | per month |
| Evolutive maintenance (15 %/yr) | 900,000 - 6,000,000 | per year |
| SSL certificate + monitoring | 15,000 - 40,000 | per month |
| Automated backups | included - 20,000 | per month |
A realistic total = development cost + about 15 % per year of operations. Over three years, a 12,000,000 FCFA app actually costs closer to 17,000,000 FCFA all-in.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Amadou runs a 22-employee distribution SME in Dakar. He orders an order-and-delivery-route management app: standard scope at 13,000,000 FCFA, 4-month timeline. Before, his sales reps lost about 2 hours a day to manual entry and phone calls. With 8 reps saving 2 hours each, he recovers 16 hours/day, the equivalent of 2 roles. At a loaded cost of 250,000 FCFA/month per rep, the app pays back in about 13 months, including 1,950,000 FCFA annual maintenance.
FAQ
How much is a minimum viable product in Dakar? Expect 6,000,000 to 9,000,000 FCFA for an MVP around a single core feature, delivered in 3 months. It is the best entry point to validate usage before investing further.
Why pay annual maintenance? Maintenance covers security patches, browser compatibility and evolutions. It runs about 15 % of the initial cost per year, i.e. 1,950,000 FCFA for a 13,000,000 FCFA app.
How long for a full application? A complete business app takes 5 to 6 months from scoping to production. A shorter timeline usually signals reduced scope or unpriced data migration.
Is mobile payment included in the price? Wave and Orange Money integration typically runs 800,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA depending on webhooks and required testing. It must appear explicitly in the quote.
Can payment be staged? Yes, the standard is a 3-to-4 milestone schedule tied to deliverables: scoping, first version, acceptance, launch. Each milestone releases a 25 to 40 % tranche.
Let's scope your project. Describe your business, the priority module and an indicative budget between 6,000,000 and 40,000,000 FCFA, and we will define the exact scope. 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.
