The verdict in three sentences
For a 12-lawyer firm working in commercial and OHADA or common-law matters across West Africa, custom software covering matters, hearing calendar, billable time and invoicing costs 8 to 18 million FCFA excl. VAT (about USD 13,000 to 30,000), live in 3 months. A European SaaS at EUR 50 to 90 per user per month costs USD 7,800 to 14,000 a year and ignores local courts, local VAT and mobile money. The deciding argument is the 15% of billable hours recovered, which repays the project in under a year.
Scope and cost, module by module
| Module | Content | 2026 budget (FCFA excl. VAT) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matter management | Parties, opponents, conflict checks, documents, history | 1,800,000 to 3,500,000 (USD 3,000 to 5,800) | 3 weeks |
| Hearing calendar | Commercial court, Court of Appeal, regional courts, adjournments, SMS reminders | 1,500,000 to 3,000,000 (USD 2,500 to 5,000) | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Billable time | Mobile entry, timer, allocation per matter and partner | 1,200,000 to 2,800,000 (USD 2,000 to 4,600) | 2 weeks |
| Billing and retainers | Hourly, fixed and success fees, VAT, reminders | 1,500,000 to 3,500,000 (USD 2,500 to 5,800) | 3 weeks |
| Payments | Mobile money, bank transfer, automatic reconciliation | 800,000 to 2,000,000 (USD 1,300 to 3,300) | 2 weeks |
| Dashboards and security | Profitability per matter, access rights, audit log, encryption | 1,200,000 to 3,200,000 (USD 2,000 to 5,300) | 2 weeks |
The low end suits a firm that first wants to leave Excel and paper diaries behind. The high end adds a secure client portal and document management with full-text search.
European SaaS vs custom: three-year comparison
| Criterion | European legal SaaS | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 0 to 1,500,000 FCFA setup | 8,000,000 to 18,000,000 FCFA |
| Annual cost (12 users) | 4,700,000 to 8,500,000 FCFA (USD 7,800 to 14,000) | Maintenance and hosting: 1,200,000 to 2,700,000 FCFA |
| 3-year total | 14,100,000 to 27,000,000 FCFA | 11,600,000 to 26,100,000 FCFA |
| Local courts and procedures | Missing, manual entry | Built in |
| Mobile money payments | No | Yes |
| Local currency invoicing and VAT | Workarounds | Native |
| Data | Servers in Europe | Hosting of your choice, local data protection compliance |
At comparable three-year cost, custom brings local legal fit and code ownership. Beyond three years the gap clearly favours custom, since only maintenance remains.
Expected gains in 2026
| Indicator | Today | After 6 months (order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Billable hours actually billed | 1,100 h per lawyer per year | 1,265 h (+15%) |
| Missed hearings or adjournments due to oversight | 3 to 5 per year | 0 |
| Invoice issue delay | 30 days after the work | 5 days |
| Collection rate at 60 days | 55% | 75% |
| Time to prepare the monthly partners' report | 2 days | 15 minutes |
Mini case study
Tunde, partner in a 12-lawyer firm in Lagos, bills an average 60,000 FCFA equivalent (about USD 100) per hour. Each lawyer bills 1,100 hours a year. With 15% of hours recovered, 165 hours per lawyer, the theoretical gain reaches 12 × 165 × 60,000 = 118.8 million FCFA (about USD 196,000). Tunde conservatively keeps 20%, i.e. 23.8 million FCFA (USD 39,000) a year, for a 14 million FCFA project (USD 23,000) and 2 million FCFA annual maintenance. Payback: about 8 months.
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FAQ
Does the software handle procedural deadlines?
Yes, appeal, objection and filing deadlines are configured and trigger reminders at D-15, D-7 and D-2. The module accounts for 1.5 to 3 million FCFA of the budget.
Is our data protected?
Privilege requires encryption, per-matter access rights and an audit log. Local or European hosting costs 60,000 to 200,000 FCFA (USD 100 to 330) per month, aligned with local data protection law.
Can clients pay online?
Yes, through mobile money such as Wave or Orange Money, or by card. Mobile money fees run around 1% per transaction, and each payment is matched to its invoice automatically.
How long does the project take?
Three months: 2 weeks of scoping, 8 weeks of development, 2 weeks of testing and training for the 12 lawyers and support staff.
Can we migrate existing matters?
Yes, migration from Excel or legacy software costs 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA (USD 800 to 2,500) depending on volume, typically 1,000 to 5,000 matters.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of lawyers, main courts and billing model, and we will price a scope between 8 and 18 million FCFA deliverable in 3 months. 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.
