The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, a law firm in Dakar equips its case management for 4,000,000 to 11,000,000 FCFA with a custom platform, depending on the number of modules. Custom guarantees confidentiality, deadline calendar and time-based billing adapted to Senegalese law, where international tools impose their formats. Expect a 4 to 5 month timeline and an ROI reached within the first year thanks to recovered administrative hours.
Off-the-shelf or custom platform
International solutions exist but bill in foreign currency, handle local specifics poorly and host your data abroad. Here is the 2026 comparison for an 8-person Dakar firm.
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf | Custom (Kolonell) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 cost | 3,600,000 FCFA/yr (subscription) | 7,000,000 FCFA (build) |
| Year 2+ cost | 3,600,000 FCFA/yr | 1,200,000 FCFA/yr |
| Time-based billing | generic | adapted to local rates |
| Confidentiality / hosting | foreign servers | controlled, your choice |
| Language & support | often English | French, Dakar support |
| Time to launch | 1 to 2 months | 4 to 5 months |
Over 3 years, the subscription reaches 10,800,000 FCFA versus 9,400,000 FCFA custom — and you own the platform.
The modules that matter and their price
The quote depends on the modules chosen. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude in FCFA.
| Module | Custom cost (FCFA) | Key benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Case management | 1,500,000 - 3,000,000 | centralization, search |
| Calendar & deadlines | 1,000,000 - 2,000,000 | zero missed deadline |
| Time-based billing | 1,200,000 - 2,500,000 | justified fees |
| Document vault | 1,000,000 - 2,000,000 | confidentiality |
| Client portal | 1,500,000 - 2,500,000 | secure exchange |
| Activity reporting | 800,000 - 1,500,000 | firm steering |
Mini case study
Me Diop, partner at an 8-person firm in Dakar, loses about 12 hours/week in manual case tracking and billing follow-ups, spread across the team. At an average loaded hourly cost of 8,000 FCFA, that is 96,000 FCFA/week, roughly 4,600,000 FCFA/year of unproductive time. A custom platform at 7,500,000 FCFA that recovers 60 % of that time saves him 2,760,000 FCFA/year: the investment pays back in under 3 years, not counting fees better billed thanks to time tracking.
FAQ
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How much does law firm software cost in Dakar in 2026?
Between 4,000,000 and 11,000,000 FCFA for a custom platform, depending on modules, plus about 1,200,000 FCFA/year maintenance.
How long to deliver the platform?
Expect 4 to 5 months from scoping to production, depending on the number of modules and the migration of case history.
Is case confidentiality guaranteed?
Yes: hosting of your choice, document encryption and fine-grained access control per staff member. That is the key advantage over foreign tools hosted outside Senegal.
Is time-based billing adapted to local rates?
Yes, it is configurable to your hourly rates, fixed fees and currencies, with fee notes matching the firm's practices.
Can we start small then expand?
Yes: begin with case management and calendar (4 to 5 million FCFA), then add billing and client portal in phases to smooth the investment.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your headcount, priority modules and target budget, and we will price build and maintenance in FCFA. 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.
