The verdict in three sentences
For a food wholesaler managing several warehouses on paper logbooks, a local SaaS ERP (25,000 to 60,000 FCFA/user/month) offers a fast but rigid base. A custom build (8,000,000 to 20,000,000 FCFA, 12 to 18 weeks) unifies multi-warehouse stock, billing and mobile money to your real processes. It cuts stockouts by 35%, inventory gaps by 40% and saves 55 h/month on billing.
SaaS ERP vs custom
SaaS charges each user; at 8-10 users across several warehouses, the yearly bill climbs fast. Custom is an asset you own.
| Criterion | Local SaaS ERP | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 25,000 to 60,000 FCFA/user/month | 8,000,000 to 20,000,000 FCFA |
| 8 users over 3 years | 7.2 to 17.3 M FCFA | 8 to 20 M FCFA |
| Multi-warehouse | Optional module | Native |
| Billing | Standard | Your rules |
| Mobile money payment | Rare | Integrated (MTN, Orange) |
| Ownership | No | Yes |
| Timeline | 4 to 8 weeks | 12 to 18 weeks |
Stock and billing gains
Gains come from ending paper logbooks and real-time multi-warehouse tracking.
| Lever | 2026 impact (ballpark) |
|---|---|
| Stockouts | -35% |
| Inventory gaps | -40% |
| Manual billing | -55 h/month |
| Order-prep delay | -30% |
| Mobile money collection | immediate |
| Custom ROI | 18 to 24 months |
Mini case study
Mr. Ngassa runs a food wholesaler with 3 warehouses, 1,200 SKUs, 8 users. His paper logbooks cause frequent stockouts and 55 h/month of manual billing (~3,300,000 FCFA/year).
A custom build at 13,000,000 FCFA unifies multi-warehouse stock, billing and mobile money collection. A 35% drop in stockouts on 400,000,000 FCFA revenue (with 4% sales lost to stockouts) recovers ~5,600,000 FCFA/year, plus 3,300,000 FCFA in billing and 40% fewer inventory gaps. With ~9,000,000 FCFA of annual gains, ROI lands in about 20 months.
FAQ
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What should the minimal spec contain?
Catalogue and SKUs, stock per warehouse, order entry, billing, mobile money collection and dashboards: that's the usable base for a wholesaler.
Is mobile money integrable with billing?
Yes: collection via MTN MoMo and Orange Money tied to each invoice, with automatic reconciliation and overdue tracking.
How do you cut stockouts by 35%?
Real-time multi-warehouse tracking with alert thresholds and guided replenishment anticipates stockouts: -30 to -40% is realistic within the first quarter.
At how many users does custom win?
From 8 to 10 users across several warehouses, cumulative SaaS over 3 years matches the cost of a build you own.
How long to start on one warehouse?
A pilot scope on one warehouse (stock + billing) ships in 12 to 14 weeks, other warehouses connecting afterwards.
Let's scope your project. Give us your warehouse, SKU and user counts, and we'll write the spec and price your custom distribution software in 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.
