The verdict in three sentences
A marketplace is an acquisition channel, not a home: it brings instant traffic but takes 10 to 25 % commission and keeps your customer data. Your own store costs 250,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA upfront, charges no commission and makes you the owner of the relationship, the average basket and the remarketing. The right strategy in Lagos in 2026 is rarely one or the other: use the marketplace to discover customers and your own store to keep them at full margin.
The real cost of each channel
On a marketplace, commission is only the visible part. Add processing fees, payment commission, sometimes promotion fees, and above all the lack of data to re-contact the customer. On your store, you carry a fixed cost and an acquisition cost (CAC), but you keep the full margin and build an asset.
| Criterion | Marketplace (Jumia/Konga type) | Own store |
|---|---|---|
| Commission per sale | 10-25 % | 0 % |
| Payment fees | Included / 1.5-3 % | 1-1.5 % (Paystack/MoMo) |
| Launch cost | 0-50,000 FCFA | 250,000-1,500,000 FCFA |
| Acquisition cost (CAC) | Traffic provided | 1,000-5,000 FCFA/customer |
| Customer data | No | Yes (100 %) |
| Brand control | Low | Total |
| Remarketing / retention | Limited | Unlimited |
Calculating your switching point
The switching point depends on your volume and margin. Let's compare an 18 % marketplace commission with an own store at 500,000 FCFA upfront and 2,500 FCFA average CAC.
| Sales/month | Avg basket | Marketplace commission/month | Own store cost/month (12-mo amortized) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 25,000 FCFA | 225,000 FCFA | 41,700 + 125,000 = 166,700 FCFA |
| 100 | 25,000 FCFA | 450,000 FCFA | 41,700 + 250,000 = 291,700 FCFA |
| 200 | 25,000 FCFA | 900,000 FCFA | 41,700 + 500,000 = 541,700 FCFA |
| 300 | 25,000 FCFA | 1,350,000 FCFA | 41,700 + 750,000 = 791,700 FCFA |
From 100 sales/month, the own store becomes clearly more profitable, and the gap widens after that. Below 50 sales, the marketplace stays useful for acquisition.
Mini case study
Emeka sells tech accessories in Lagos, 150 orders/month, average basket 25,000 FCFA, i.e. 3,750,000 FCFA revenue. On Jumia at 18 %, he pays 675,000 FCFA/month commission, or 8,100,000 FCFA/year. With an own store at 500,000 FCFA and a 2,500 FCFA CAC on 60 % new customers (90 customers), he pays 225,000 FCFA acquisition/month plus amortization, i.e. about 266,700 FCFA/month. Annual saving: over 4,800,000 FCFA, and he recovers 100 % of customer data for WhatsApp remarketing.
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FAQ
Should I leave the marketplace entirely?
No. The marketplace stays an excellent discovery channel. The winning strategy is hybrid: acquire on the marketplace, then migrate the relationship to your own store for full-margin repeat purchases.
How much does a real own store cost in Lagos?
A Starter e-commerce starts around 1,000,000 FCFA with Paystack/MoMo integrated; a lighter catalog storefront can launch from 250,000 to 500,000 FCFA depending on features.
What happens to my margin on a marketplace?
An 18 to 25 % commission can absorb your entire margin on low-margin products. On your store, you only pay 1 to 1.5 % of payment fees.
Why is customer data so important?
It enables remarketing, WhatsApp campaigns and repeat purchases with no new acquisition cost. A retained customer costs 5 to 7 times less than one to acquire.
Let's talk about your project. We build your own store with Paystack/MoMo and a migration strategy from the marketplace. 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.
