The verdict in three sentences
A CEO in Abidjan who waits every Monday afternoon for an Excel file consolidated from 6 sources steers a week late and ties up one manager day a week. Power BI, at USD 14 per user per month and 5,000,000 to 9,000,000 FCFA of setup (about EUR 7,600 to 13,700), fits when data already sits in standard tools and users are analysts. A custom dashboard at 10,000,000 to 18,000,000 FCFA makes sense when you need light mobile screens for field teams, in-house sources without connectors, or zero per-user licences.
The hidden cost of the Monday Excel consolidation
In an Ivorian or West African distribution group, the 6 typical sources are: the ERP or sales management software, store tills, the wholesale orders file, accounting, Wave and Orange Money Business statements, and the HR file. The financial controller exports, cleans, copies formulas and sends a 15-tab file on Monday evening. Copy-paste errors are frequent, and nobody can drill down to store or product level without requesting a new extract.
| Criterion | Excel consolidation | Power BI | Custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekly consolidation time | 1 manager day | 0.5 h (check) | 0.5 h (check) |
| Data freshness | D+3 to D+7 | Daily (up to 8 refreshes a day on Pro) | Real time or hourly |
| Number of KPIs tracked | 10 to 15 | 25 and more | 25 and more |
| Field mobile access (3G) | Heavy attachment | Decent app, heavy on 3G | Optimised screens, under 300 KB |
| Licence cost | Included in Microsoft 365 | USD 14 per user per month | No per-user licence |
| Key-person dependency | High | Medium | Low if documented |
2026 budget comparison in FCFA
The figures below are 2026 estimates for a scope of 25 KPIs, 6 sources and 3 reading levels (group, banner, store). The rate used is about 600 FCFA to USD 1.
| Item | Power BI | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| KPI and data model scoping | 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA | 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA |
| Connectors and data warehouse (6 sources) | 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA | 3,500,000 to 6,000,000 FCFA |
| Reports and screens (25 KPIs) | 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA | 4,000,000 to 7,500,000 FCFA |
| Access rights and training | 500,000 to 1,000,000 FCFA | 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA |
| Total setup | 5,000,000 to 9,000,000 FCFA | 10,000,000 to 18,000,000 FCFA |
| Licences, 20 users | 168,000 FCFA/month (20 x USD 14) | 0 |
| Licences, 120 users (store managers included) | 1,008,000 FCFA/month | 0 |
| Hosting and maintenance | 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA/month | 250,000 to 450,000 FCFA/month |
The maths flips with user count. With 20 readers, Power BI stays clearly cheaper over 3 years. With 120 readers, including 100 store managers checking 3 KPIs on their phone, licences exceed 36,000,000 FCFA over 3 years and the custom build becomes competitive.
How to choose without getting it wrong
Power BI is the right choice if your sources have standard connectors (SQL Server, Sage, online Excel), if users are about twenty managers on PCs, and if you have an analyst able to evolve reports. Custom wins if field teams consult on mobile over 3G, if a key source is an in-house app or a till file without API, or if you want actions (approve an order, trigger a WhatsApp alert) built into the dashboard. A middle path works well: a shared data warehouse, Power BI for head office and a few custom mobile screens for the field.
Mini case study
Mr Kouassi, CEO of a food distribution group in Abidjan (14 stores, 3 depots), has his financial controller consolidate figures every Monday; the controller earns 1,200,000 FCFA gross a month, about 75,000 FCFA loaded per day. One day a week is 75,000 x 48 = 3,600,000 FCFA a year. Power BI option for 25 users: 7,000,000 FCFA setup, then 25 x USD 14 x 600 x 12 = 2,520,000 FCFA of licences and 2,400,000 FCFA of maintenance a year. Over 3 years: 21,760,000 FCFA. Custom option: 13,000,000 FCFA, then 4,200,000 FCFA of maintenance a year, i.e. 25,600,000 FCFA over 3 years. With 25 users, Power BI wins. If he opens access to 14 store managers and 6 supervisors, licences rise by 2,016,000 FCFA a year and the custom build becomes cheaper over 3 years (25,600,000 versus 27,808,000 FCFA), with lighter mobile screens as a bonus. Either way, the real value comes from faster decisions: a stock-out spotted on Tuesday rather than the following Monday.
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FAQ
How long to deliver an executive dashboard?
Allow 8 to 12 weeks for Power BI and 12 to 16 weeks for a custom build, for 25 KPIs and 6 sources. The first working screen usually arrives within 4 weeks.
Do we need a data warehouse?
Yes, from 3 sources upwards. It centralises and historises data, and costs 80,000 to 200,000 FCFA a month in cloud hosting depending on volume.
Can Wave and Orange Money receipts be included?
Yes, via exports or merchant APIs. Automatic matching against till sales is one of the most useful KPIs in retail, for 800,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA of development.
Does Power BI work well on 3G in Abidjan?
Fine at head office, harder in the field: a rich report often exceeds 2 MB. Dedicated mobile screens under 300 KB stay smooth on 3G.
Who evolves the KPIs after delivery?
With Power BI, an in-house analyst trained in 3 to 5 days can build new reports. With a custom build, changes go through a maintenance contract, usually 250,000 to 450,000 FCFA a month.
Let's scope your project. List your data sources, key KPIs and user count, and we will compare Power BI and custom over 3 years, with a budget between 5,000,000 and 18,000,000 FCFA depending on the option. 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.
