The verdict in three sentences
A London firm entering West Africa can hire a French-speaking nearshore agency at 200-400 EUR day rates, versus 600-1,000 EUR in the UK. Local brochure sites in Dakar range from 250,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA (roughly 380 to 3,800 EUR) across three tiers. To be credible with West African partners and buyers, aim for at least the growth tier and insist on a bilingual FR/EN build.
The three price tiers in Dakar in 2026
The Dakar market is organised around three levels, from an essential brochure site to a premium multilingual showcase.
| Tier | Pages | 2026 price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 5 pages | 250,000 - 500,000 FCFA | 2-3 weeks |
| Growth | 8-12 pages + blog | 500,000 - 1,200,000 FCFA | 3-5 weeks |
| Premium | 12+ pages, animations, advanced SEO | 1,200,000 - 2,500,000 FCFA | 4-6 weeks |
The growth tier adds a blog, analytics and structured SEO: the minimum base to generate inbound requests rather than serve as a mere business card.
Day rates: nearshore versus UK
The core reason to hire a West African agency is the day-rate gap, at comparable quality.
| Criterion | Nearshore (Dakar) | UK agency (London) |
|---|---|---|
| Senior designer day rate | 200 - 400 EUR | 600 - 1,000 EUR |
| Front-end developer day rate | 180 - 350 EUR | 550 - 900 EUR |
| Local market knowledge (West Africa) | Native | Limited |
| Bilingual FR/EN delivery | Standard | Rare |
| Time zone overlap with London | Full (GMT/GMT+1) | Same |
Total cost of ownership over 3 years
A site is not a one-off purchase. Over 36 months, maintenance and hosting add to the build price.
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| Recurring item | 2026 range | Cost over 36 months |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance & updates | 50,000 - 200,000 FCFA/month | 1,800,000 - 7,200,000 FCFA |
| Managed hosting | 25,000 - 75,000 FCFA/month | 900,000 - 2,700,000 FCFA |
| Domain .sn / .com | 10,000 - 25,000 FCFA/year | 30,000 - 75,000 FCFA |
Mini case study
Sarah, COO of a 40-person logistics firm in London, wants to open a West African sales channel and needs a bilingual FR/EN showcase site aimed at Dakar and Abidjan buyers. Hiring a UK agency at 700 EUR/day for 15 days would cost about 10,500 EUR. A Dakar agency delivers the equivalent growth-tier site at 1,000,000 FCFA (about 1,525 EUR), plus 75,000 FCFA/month maintenance. She saves roughly 9,000 EUR on build and gains native market knowledge and bilingual delivery. If the site brings a single regional contract, the entire investment is recovered many times over.
FAQ
Why hire a West African agency from London? Day rates of 200-400 EUR versus 600-1,000 EUR in the UK, native knowledge of the West African market, and standard bilingual FR/EN delivery. For an African go-to-market, it is both cheaper and more relevant.
What does a local site cost? Between 250,000 FCFA for a 5-page starter and 2,500,000 FCFA for premium multilingual work. The growth tier (500,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA) is the most requested by SMEs.
Is the time zone a problem? No. Dakar sits at GMT, fully overlapping London working hours, which makes daily collaboration seamless, unlike far-offshore options.
What about maintenance? Between 50,000 and 200,000 FCFA/month depending on how often you evolve the site. For a stable showcase, 75,000 FCFA/month covers security, backups and small changes.
Will a Dakar-built site look credible internationally? Yes, provided you choose the growth or premium tier with bilingual FR/EN content, structured SEO and performant hosting. The result matches European standards.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your target countries, page count and bilingual needs, and we'll frame the right tier. 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.
