The verdict in three sentences
A corporate website for a diversified industrial group ships in 13 weeks when the plan holds: 2 weeks of scoping, 3 of design, 6 of development and 2 of testing. The realistic 2026 budget sits between 6 and 12 million FCFA excluding tax (about EUR 9,150 to 18,300, or USD 9,900 to 19,800), with a group site and subsidiary sites on subdomains. The first cause of delay is not technical: content collection pushes back roughly 40% of projects, so it must start in week one.
The realistic 13-week plan
For a company secretary targeting the annual general meeting, the launch date is worked out backwards. If the AGM is at the end of June, the project must start by the first week of March at the latest, with two weeks of buffer.
| Phase | Duration | Deliverables | Decision maker at the group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoping | 2 weeks | Site map, content list, backward schedule | Company secretary, communications |
| Design | 3 weeks | Web guidelines, home and template mock-ups, subsidiary variants | Executive management |
| Development | 6 weeks | Group site, 3 subsidiary subdomains, CMS, forms | IT for hosting and DNS |
| Content integration | In parallel, weeks 5 to 11 | Copy, plant photos, key figures, annual report | Each subsidiary |
| Testing | 2 weeks | Mobile tests, speed, fixes, training | Approval committee |
| Total | 13 weeks | Launch and handover | Company secretary |
Development is the longest phase because a group with three businesses (brewing, packaging, logistics) needs different templates: the brewery highlights its brands, packaging its production capacity, logistics its fleet and port warehouses.
Budget and causes of delay
The budget depends mainly on the number of subsidiaries, the languages (French and English are often both required) and the private areas.
| Component | 2026 range (FCFA excl. tax) | Impact on timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Group site, 20 to 30 pages, bilingual FR/EN | 3,500,000 to 5,500,000 | Basis of the 13 weeks |
| Subdomain per subsidiary (x3) | 600,000 to 1,200,000 each | +1 week beyond 3 subsidiaries |
| Investor area and interactive annual report | 800,000 to 1,800,000 | +1 to 2 weeks |
| Careers page with online applications | 400,000 to 900,000 | None if content is ready |
| Photo and video shoot of industrial sites | 500,000 to 1,200,000 | Main risk if not planned |
| Typical total | 6,000,000 to 12,000,000 | 13 weeks targeted |
Here are the causes of delay we see on corporate projects, with their estimated frequency:
| Cause of delay | Share of projects affected | Average delay |
|---|---|---|
| Content not delivered by subsidiaries | 40% | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Approval chain too long (more than 3 levels) | 25% | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Plant photos unavailable | 20% | 2 weeks |
| DNS and hosting access blocked by IT | 10% | 1 week |
| Scope change mid-project | 15% | 2 to 4 weeks |
The fix is simple: one content owner per subsidiary, a delivery deadline in week 6 and an approval committee of 3 people at most.
Mini case study
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Thabo, company secretary of an industrial group in Johannesburg, is preparing an AGM on 26 June. He starts the project on 2 March with a budget of 9,000,000 FCFA (about EUR 13,700): bilingual group site (4,800,000), three subsidiary subdomains (3 x 900,000 = 2,700,000), investor area (1,500,000). The 13 weeks lead to 29 May, leaving 4 weeks of buffer. The logistics subsidiary delivers its content 3 weeks late: thanks to the buffer, the site goes live on 19 June, 7 days before the AGM. Without that buffer, launch would have slipped past the meeting and the annual report would have gone out as a PDF only.
FAQ
Can it be delivered in 8 weeks instead of 13?
Yes, with a group site only, no subsidiary subdomains, and content already ready. The budget then drops to about 3,500,000 to 5,000,000 FCFA, with subsidiaries added in a second phase.
Why subdomains rather than separate sites?
Subdomains share the same CMS and design system, which cuts the cost per subsidiary by 40 to 50%. Maintenance is also centralised, around 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA a month for the whole estate.
Does the site need local hosting?
Not necessarily. Hosting with a CDN keeps load times under 3 seconds in major African cities, including on 3G, for about 40,000 to 90,000 FCFA a month.
How do we stop content collection from blocking everything?
We provide content templates in week 1 and set a deadline in week 6. Pages without approved content launch in a short version and are expanded after go-live.
Can payment be staged?
Yes, the usual split is 40% on order, 30% on mock-up approval and 30% at launch.
Let's scope your project. Share your AGM date, the number of subsidiaries and your budget between 6 and 12 million FCFA, and we will build the backward schedule with you. 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.
