The verdict in three sentences
Custom software (FCFA 15,000,000-40,000,000, approx. USD 25,000-66,000) becomes necessary once your network exceeds a few stations and manual consolidation of sales and stock turns unmanageable. The core issue is reliable sales reporting per station, cross-checked with tank gauges to catch variances and leakage. The real gain is real-time consolidated reporting that replaces paper reports arriving several days late.
Petroleum package vs custom: the 2026 grid (FCFA)
A fuel network runs fuels, convenience store, lubricants and sometimes a wash, across geographically dispersed sites. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude.
| Criterion | Petroleum package | Custom |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | FCFA 25,000,000-70,000,000 | FCFA 15,000,000-40,000,000 |
| Recurring licenses | high, per site | included |
| Local adaptation (mobile pay) | limited | native |
| Multi-site sales reporting | standard | your rules |
| Setup time | 6-12 months | 5-9 months |
| Maintenance | FCFA 800,000-2,500,000/month | FCFA 500,000-1,500,000/month |
The international petroleum package is robust but costly and rigid on local usage; custom fits the network and integrates mobile payments.
What a custom project covers (FCFA)
Breaking down by lot helps weigh an FCFA 15,000,000 core against a full FCFA 40,000,000 platform.
| Functional lot | 2026 range | Indicative lead time |
|---|---|---|
| Sales reporting per station | FCFA 3,000,000-8,000,000 | 6-9 weeks |
| Fuel stock + tank gauges | FCFA 3,500,000-9,000,000 | 7-10 weeks |
| Till + convenience store | FCFA 2,500,000-6,000,000 | 5-8 weeks |
| Consolidated multi-site reporting | FCFA 3,000,000-7,000,000 | 5-8 weeks |
| Mobile payment integration | FCFA 2,000,000-5,000,000 | 4-7 weeks |
| Variance detection + alerts | FCFA 1,500,000-4,000,000 | 3-6 weeks |
Mini case study
Aminata, director of a 6-station network, suffers about 1.5% fuel losses (gauge variances, leakage, till errors). On annual volume of FCFA 3,200,000,000, that is FCFA 48,000,000. A custom project at FCFA 30,000,000, plus FCFA 1,000,000/month maintenance (FCFA 12,000,000/year), costs FCFA 42,000,000 in year one. By bringing losses down to 0.9% through sales/gauge cross-checks and alerts, she recovers FCFA 19,200,000/year. The project pays back in just over two years, before management gains.
FAQ
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How much is custom fuel-network software?
Between FCFA 15,000,000 and 40,000,000 depending on number of sites and modules. A sales-stock-reporting core starts at FCFA 15,000,000; the full platform reaches FCFA 40,000,000.
Why not buy a petroleum package?
They are robust but costly (FCFA 25,000,000-70,000,000) and poorly suited to local usage such as mobile payments. Custom integrates those payments natively.
What is the delivery timeline?
An operational core ships in 5-6 months. A full platform with variance detection and real-time reporting takes 7 to 9 months.
What gain on fuel losses?
Sales/gauge cross-checks and alerts typically bring losses from 1.5% toward 0.9%, i.e. tens of millions of FCFA per year on a mid-size network.
Is maintenance essential?
Yes. Budget FCFA 500,000-1,500,000/month for support, fixes and evolutions, with continuous multi-site supervision.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of stations, annual volume and an indicative budget, and we will frame a core with consolidated reporting. 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.
