The verdict in three sentences
For a microfinance fund, the website is first a trust document read by investors, regulators and partner institutions before any commitment. A London agency will typically quote 20,000 to 50,000 GBP for a credible corporate site delivered in 6 to 10 weeks, with a portfolio or impact explorer, a map of partner institutions and bank-grade security. Budgets are rarely lost on design: they are lost when security and data compliance are handled after launch.
What investors and partners look for on a microfinance site
An impact investor reviews 5 to 8 pages on average before a first meeting: governance, FCA status where relevant, audited accounts, social performance report, portfolio indicators (PAR 30, number of end borrowers, share of women). Partner MFIs in Africa or Asia want eligibility criteria, ticket sizes and the application process.
The site must serve two very different journeys: desktop for institutional investors, mobile for partners in markets where more than 80% of traffic comes from smartphones.
| Module | Audience | Expected content | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Governance and status | Investors, regulator | Board, registration numbers, organisation chart | 10% |
| Reports and indicators | Investors | Annual reports, PAR 30, outstanding portfolio, social impact | 15% |
| Financing products | Partner MFIs | Ticket sizes, tenors, eligibility, documents required | 15% |
| Portfolio or loan simulator | Partners | Repayment by amount, tenor and rate, no data stored | 20% |
| Map of partner institutions | All | Countries, partners, volumes | 15% |
| Security and compliance | All | CSP, strict HTTPS, cookies, legal notices | 15% |
| Contact and complaints | Partners | Form, published handling time | 10% |
Security and compliance: the 2026 checklist
Financial brands are prime phishing targets: fake sites copy the visual identity to collect credentials or redirect investor transfers. The official site must be flawless and easy to recognise.
| Measure | What it protects | Indicative 2026 cost |
|---|---|---|
| Strict HTTPS (HSTS, preload) | Interception on public Wi-Fi | Included in build |
| CSP, X-Frame-Options, Referrer-Policy headers | Script injection, clickjacking | Included in build |
| Forms with anti-spam and rate limiting | Form flooding, fake requests | Included in build |
| Hosting with daily backups kept 30 days | Data loss, defacement | 50 to 300 GBP/month in London |
| Uptime monitoring and patching | CMS and dependency flaws | 300 to 1,200 GBP/month with a London agency |
| ICO registration and privacy notice | UK GDPR and Data Protection Act 2018 | 52 to 78 GBP/year ICO fee for most small firms |
On the regulatory side, any financial promotion must stay fair, clear and not misleading, and figures shown must match the audited reports. On data, UK GDPR requires clear information and data minimisation. Our advice: a simulator that computes in the browser, without storing revenue or phone numbers unless the visitor asks to be contacted.
What the project costs, all in
| Item | London agency (market range) | Kolonell offer |
|---|---|---|
| Corporate site, 20 to 30 pages, simulator, map | 20,000 to 50,000 GBP | Premium 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA (3,050 to 5,340 EUR) |
| Lighter site, simulator postponed | 12,000 to 20,000 GBP | Growth 1,200,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA (1,830 to 3,050 EUR) |
| Monthly maintenance | 300 to 1,200 GBP | 75,000 to 120,000 FCFA (110 to 180 EUR) |
| Secure investor or partner portal | 40,000 to 120,000 GBP | Custom app 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) |
The partner portal is a separate project: it touches account data and needs integration with the fund's information systems. It is best launched in phase 2, once the corporate site is live.
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
James, CEO of a London microfinance fund financing 40 partner MFIs (illustrative example), receives about 120 email requests a month from partners asking about eligibility or repayment schedules. At 20 minutes each, that is 40 hours of staff time a month. If the simulator and eligibility pages absorb 40% of these requests, he frees 16 hours a month, close to 200 hours a year. At a loaded staff cost of 45 GBP an hour, that is about 8,600 GBP a year, to compare with a 30,000 GBP build and roughly 6,000 GBP of yearly maintenance.
FAQ
How long does a microfinance fund website take?
Allow 6 to 10 weeks, including 2 weeks to gather content (reports, governance, partner list). Internal sign-off by management and compliance is often the longest step.
Must the simulator show real rates?
Yes, it should use rates consistent with signed terms and state that results are indicative. A gap of more than 1 point with actual terms generates complaints.
Do we need a French version?
If your partners are in francophone Africa, yes: translating the products, eligibility and contact pages is usually enough, around 8 to 12 pages out of 30.
Where should the site be hosted?
Managed hosting with a CDN and daily backups costs 50 to 300 GBP a month in London. What matters is that accounts and the domain are registered in the fund's name.
Can partners pay instalments online?
Yes, through a custom application linked to the fund's systems, from 4,000,000 FCFA (6,100 EUR) with Kolonell. Handle it after the corporate site.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your investors and partner network: we price a secure corporate website between 2,000,000 and 3,500,000 FCFA (3,050 to 5,340 EUR), delivered in 6 to 10 weeks. 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.
