The verdict in three sentences
For a festival with 25,000 attendees over 3 days, an in-house ticketing system costs 12 to 28 million FCFA in 2026 (about EUR 18,000 to 43,000) and ships in 10 weeks. It replaces an 8 to 10% commission with only the Wave or Orange Money processing cost of about 1%, and the festival owns its attendee database. With 300 million FCFA of ticket revenue, the app usually pays for itself in the first edition.
What an in-house ticketing system includes and costs
The project covers online sales, secure ticket issuing and gate control. The critical point in Dakar is offline scanning: the mobile network saturates as soon as 10,000 people gather in one place.
| Module | Function | 2026 cost (estimate) | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket shop and buyer accounts | 1-day, 3-day, VIP passes, quotas | 4,000,000 to 8,000,000 FCFA | Mobile first, lightweight pages |
| Wave and Orange Money payment | Collection, confirmation, refunds | 2,000,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA | Card payment for the diaspora optional |
| Anti-fraud QR codes | Signed, named, single-use tickets | 1,500,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA | A screenshot cannot be used twice |
| Offline scanning app | Gate validation without network, sync | 2,500,000 to 6,000,000 FCFA | Runs on entry-level Android |
| Organizer dashboard | Live sales, entries per gate, capacity | 1,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA | Crowding alerts |
| Artist, press and staff accreditation | Badges and access zones | 500,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA | Common option |
| Total | 12,000,000 to 28,000,000 FCFA | 10 weeks |
Per edition, also plan 1.5 to 3 million FCFA of operations: scaled hosting during sales, 30 to 40 scanning phones rented or bought at 70,000 FCFA, and a technical team on site for the 3 days.
In-house ticketing vs commissions over 3 editions
2026 assumptions: 25,000 tickets sold per edition at an average of 12,000 FCFA, so 300 million FCFA of revenue. Platform commission at 9%, mobile payment fees at a 1.2% weighted average.
| Item | Edition 1 | Edition 2 | Edition 3 | 3-edition total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platform commission (9%) | 27,000,000 FCFA | 27,000,000 FCFA | 27,000,000 FCFA | 81,000,000 FCFA |
| In-house ticketing development | 20,000,000 FCFA | 0 | 0 | 20,000,000 FCFA |
| Wave and OM processing fees (1.2%) | 3,600,000 FCFA | 3,600,000 FCFA | 3,600,000 FCFA | 10,800,000 FCFA |
| Operations and on-site team | 2,500,000 FCFA | 2,500,000 FCFA | 2,500,000 FCFA | 7,500,000 FCFA |
| Improvements between editions | 0 | 1,500,000 FCFA | 1,500,000 FCFA | 3,000,000 FCFA |
| Total in-house ticketing | 26,100,000 FCFA | 7,600,000 FCFA | 7,600,000 FCFA | 41,300,000 FCFA |
| Savings vs platform | 900,000 FCFA | 19,400,000 FCFA | 19,400,000 FCFA | 39,700,000 FCFA |
Beyond the math, the festival gets back the phone numbers and emails of its 25,000 buyers, which lets it presell the next edition without paying for ads to reach an audience it already won.
Mini case study
Moussa, director of an urban music festival in Dakar, sells 22,000 tickets at 11,000 FCFA, so 242 million FCFA. His platform takes 9%: 21,780,000 FCFA. He has a ticketing app built for 18,000,000 FCFA. In edition 1, he pays 2,904,000 FCFA of processing (1.2%) and 2,300,000 FCFA of operations: total cost 23,204,000 FCFA, close to the commission. From edition 2, he saves 16,576,000 FCFA a year. His presale to past buyers, by SMS and WhatsApp, sells 6,000 tickets in 72 hours.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
FAQ
Does scanning really work without internet?
Yes, each phone downloads the encrypted ticket list before doors open and validates a QR code in under a second. Devices sync as soon as a network, even a local Wi-Fi, is available.
How do you stop one ticket being used twice?
Each QR code is signed and named. With local Wi-Fi sync between gates every 30 seconds, a double entry is blocked in near real time.
Can we sell to diaspora attendees?
Yes, adding card payment through Stripe costs 1 to 2 million FCFA, with fees of about 3% per international transaction.
How many attendees go through each gate per hour?
One agent with a phone scans 300 to 400 tickets per hour. For 12,000 entries in 3 hours, plan 10 to 12 scanning gates.
Can the app be used for other events?
Yes, it handles multiple events and can even be rented to other organizers, creating extra revenue.
Let's scope your project. We price your ticketing system with Wave and Orange Money payment, anti-fraud QR codes and offline scanning, for an indicative budget of 12 to 28 million FCFA and delivery in 10 weeks before ticket sales open. 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.
