The verdict in three sentences
Custom management software for a higher-education institution in Dubai ranges from 6,000,000 to 16,000,000 FCFA (approx. 9,150 to 24,400 EUR) in 2026, depending on student numbers, programme complexity and payment integration. The decisive lever is fee instalment plans via mobile and card payment: collecting in tranches secures cash flow and slashes unpaid balances. Budget 4 to 7 months to build an admissions + academics + payments + student portal core.
What the budget covers
A higher-education institution loses cash on uncollected fees and time on manual handling of cash payments. Here is the 2026 custom-development breakdown, order of magnitude.
| Module | Role | Range (FCFA) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Admissions | Applications, files, selection | 1,200,000 - 3,000,000 | 4-7 wks |
| Timetables | Rooms, teachers, cohorts | 1,000,000 - 2,500,000 | 4-6 wks |
| Grades & assessment | Report cards, averages, boards | 1,200,000 - 2,800,000 | 5-8 wks |
| Instalment payments | Schedules, receipts, reconciliation | 1,500,000 - 3,500,000 | 4-7 wks |
| Student portal | Grades, schedule, documents, balance | 800,000 - 2,200,000 | 3-6 wks |
| Unpaid tracking | Alerts, SMS reminders, holds | 700,000 - 2,000,000 | 3-5 wks |
The low end (6,000,000 FCFA) fits a 300-500 student institution; the high end (16,000,000 FCFA) covers 1,500+ students with multiple programmes and advanced reconciliation.
The cash lever: instalment payments
The gap between fees due and fees collected hinges on how easy it is to pay in tranches. Here are 2026 orders of magnitude for an 800-student institution.
| Metric | Before | After software | Annual impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average fee/student/year | 850,000 FCFA | 850,000 FCFA | flat |
| Tuition revenue | 680,000,000 FCFA | 680,000,000 FCFA | flat |
| Unpaid rate | 8% | 3% | -5 pts |
| Recovered unpaid | — | +34,000,000 FCFA | +5% |
| Collection time | 45 days | 15 days | -30 d |
| Accounting hours/month | 60 h | 22 h | -38 h |
Bringing unpaid balances from 8% to 3% on 680M FCFA of revenue secures about 34,000,000 FCFA of cash per year: even at 14M FCFA, the software pays back in under 6 months from that effect alone.
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Mini case study
Mr Ndiaye, director of a business school in Dubai (620 students, average fee 780,000 FCFA/year). Fees are paid in cash at a counter, unpaid balances reach 9% and the accountant spends days reconciling receipts. He invests 12,500,000 FCFA in software delivered in 6 months with instalment payments and a student portal. Over 12 months, unpaid balances fall to 3.5% on revenue of 484M FCFA, i.e. +26,600,000 FCFA of secured cash, and accounting saves 38 h/month. Payback in under 7 months.
FAQ
What budget for a 400-student institution? Budget 6,000,000 to 9,000,000 FCFA for admissions + academics + instalment payments, delivered in 4 to 5 months. A rich student portal can follow in phase 2.
Are mobile and card payments really integrated? Yes: the student pays each tranche directly, the receipt is generated automatically and the balance updates in real time, with daily reconciliation on the accounting side.
By how much can unpaid balances drop? Offering instalment plans and automatic SMS reminders, a 4 to 6 point drop is realistic within the first academic year.
Can it handle multiple programmes and levels? Yes: the timetable and grades module handles tracks, semesters and boards; multi-programme complexity explains the gap between 6M and 16M FCFA.
How much is annual maintenance? Plan for 15 to 20% of build cost per year, i.e. 900,000 to 3,200,000 FCFA, covering support, enhancements and payment-API updates.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your enrolment, programmes and fee model: we frame a scope in the 6,000,000-16,000,000 FCFA range. 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.
