The verdict in three sentences
A custom business web app for an SME in a Dakar-type emerging market costs, in 2026, between 3,000,000 and 12,000,000 FCFA for an MVP covering inventory, sales and clients, delivered in 8 to 14 weeks. Custom becomes worth it as soon as your spreadsheets turn into a bottleneck (errors, duplicates, no multi-user), which happens fast beyond 3 people. Budget 15 to 20 % of the initial cost per year for maintenance, with a return on investment in 6 to 12 months thanks to the administrative hours saved.
What each building block costs in 2026
Price depends on the number of modules and the complexity of your business rules. Here is a 2026 order-of-magnitude estimate for a West African market.
| Module | Scope | Price FCFA | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core (auth, roles, dashboard) | Login, permissions, home | 1,200,000 - 2,000,000 | 2-3 wks |
| Inventory | Products, in/out, alerts | 1,500,000 - 3,000,000 | 2-4 wks |
| Sales & invoicing | Quotes, PDF invoices, VAT | 1,500,000 - 3,500,000 | 3-4 wks |
| Client records (light CRM) | History, follow-ups | 800,000 - 1,800,000 | 1-2 wks |
| Offline mode (PWA) | Sync, local cache | 1,000,000 - 2,500,000 | 2-3 wks |
| Wave / Orange Money integration | Collection, webhook | 800,000 - 1,800,000 | 1-2 wks |
| SMS notifications | Reminders, confirmations | 400,000 - 900,000 | 1 wk |
A realistic MVP (core + inventory + sales + clients) therefore lands between 4,000,000 and 8,000,000 FCFA. Adding PWA and mobile payment pushes it toward 10 to 12 million FCFA.
Custom vs foreign SaaS
Many SMEs hesitate with a foreign SaaS. The 3-year math changes the picture.
| Criterion | Custom app | Foreign SaaS (5 users) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 5,000,000 FCFA | 0 - 300,000 FCFA |
| Monthly cost | ~100,000 FCFA (maintenance) | 150,000 - 350,000 FCFA |
| Total 3-year cost | ~8,600,000 FCFA | 5,400,000 - 12,900,000 FCFA |
| Native Wave/OM payment | Yes | Rarely |
| Offline on 3G | Yes (PWA) | Often no |
| Data ownership | Full | With the vendor |
| Local rule adaptation | Unlimited | None |
SaaS wins year one; custom wins from year two if you pass a handful of users and need Wave/Orange Money and offline mode.
Mini case study
Fatou runs a hardware store in Dakar with 6 staff and 2 points of sale. On spreadsheets she loses about 12 hours/week on re-entry and suffers 4 to 5 stockouts/month. She invests 6,500,000 FCFA in an app (inventory + sales + PWA + Wave). After 6 months: re-entry cut by 4 (i.e. 9 hours/week saved, ~468 hours/year valued at 2,000 FCFA/h = 936,000 FCFA/year), stockouts halved and instant invoicing. With the margin recovered from avoided stockouts, she estimates payback at around 9 months.
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FAQ
How long for a usable MVP?
Expect 8 to 14 weeks depending on the number of modules. Core + inventory alone can ship in 6 weeks for around 3,000,000 FCFA.
Does the app work without connectivity?
Yes, via a PWA: data is cached and synced as soon as the network returns. That module adds 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA.
Can we collect payment via Wave and Orange Money?
Yes, integration with a confirmation webhook costs 800,000 to 1,800,000 FCFA and is tested with real transactions before go-live.
What annual maintenance budget should we plan?
Budget 15 to 20 % of the initial cost, i.e. 750,000 to 1,600,000 FCFA/year for a 5-million MVP, covering fixes, backups and small improvements.
Can we start small then grow?
Yes, and it is recommended: we ship one process first, measure, then add modules in batches of 1,500,000 to 3,000,000 FCFA.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your priority modules (inventory, sales, clients), your indicative budget and target go-live date. 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.
