The verdict in three sentences
Big marketplace and institutional tickets pay a lot, despite a lower rate. A single institutional deal at 8% can exceed ten showcase sales at 15%. The price to pay: a longer sales cycle and a network of decision-makers — but two or three signatures a year are enough to change your income bracket.
What each pillar pays in 2026
Here are the Kolonell referral-program commissions applied to each pillar's real tickets.
| Pillar | Typical ticket FCFA | Commission % | Gain per deal | Realistic deals/yr | Annual income | Sales cycle |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Showcase | 250k–1.2M | 15% + 5% recurring | 37,500–180,000 | 20–36 | 1.5–4M FCFA | 1–3 weeks |
| E-commerce | 1M–6M | 12% | 120,000–720,000 | 8–15 | 2–7M FCFA | 3–6 weeks |
| Marketplace | 2.5M–20M | 10% | 250,000–2,000,000 | 2–5 | 1.5–7M FCFA | 2–5 months |
| Institutional | 5M–60M | 8% | 400,000–4,800,000 | 1–3 | 2–10M FCFA | 3–9 months |
The key reading: the rate drops as the ticket rises, but the absolute gain per deal explodes. A partner who signs a single Premium marketplace at 12,000,000 FCFA earns 1,200,000 FCFA — the equivalent of 7 Starter showcase sites.
Small ticket vs big ticket: the real comparison
| Scenario | Number of deals | Unit commission | Sales effort | Annual total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24 Starter showcases (250k) | 24 | 37,500 FCFA | Very high (volume) | 900,000 FCFA |
| 6 Growth e-commerce (2M) | 6 | 240,000 FCFA | High | 1,440,000 FCFA |
| 3 marketplaces (10M) | 3 | 1,000,000 FCFA | Medium (but long) | 3,000,000 FCFA |
| 2 institutional (25M) | 2 | 2,000,000 FCFA | Low in number | 4,000,000 FCFA |
Fewer deals, more income: big tickets mainly require network and patience, not more field hours.
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Mini case study
Awa, a consultant in Abidjan, has a network of finance directors. In 2026 she does no door-knocking: she places one institutional project (corporate site + intranet) at 25,000,000 FCFA and one services marketplace at 7,000,000 FCFA. Her commissions: 25M × 8% = 2,000,000 FCFA + 7M × 10% = 700,000 FCFA, i.e. 2,700,000 FCFA on two deals. A showcase partner would need to sign 36 Starter clients to match that. Awa simply connected Kolonell; the agency handled the brief, tech and delivery.
FAQ
Why is the institutional rate only 8%? Because tickets are huge (5 to 60M FCFA) and margins tighter on these complex projects. Yet 8% of 30,000,000 FCFA is still 2,400,000 FCFA for a single introduction.
How many institutional deals a year is realistic? For a well-connected partner, 1 to 3 a year. The cycle is long (3 to 9 months), but a single deal can make an excellent year.
Do I have to choose between showcase volume and big tickets? No. Many partners do showcase volume for steady income and keep one or two big deals in the pipeline for income spikes.
Is there a recurring cut on marketplace and institutional? The 5% recurring applies to showcase maintenance; on marketplace and institutional the value lies mainly in the high initial ticket and follow-on projects you can re-refer.
Who handles the technical part and negotiation? The Kolonell agency. You bring the relationship and qualify the budget; the team writes the quote, runs the tech and delivers. You collect the commission at signing.
Let's talk about your project. Know some decision-makers? Become a Kolonell key-accounts referral partner and turn your network into income. 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.
