The verdict in three sentences
For a mining services company housing and feeding 2,600 people across 4 mining camps at gold mines in Mali, the gap between meals billed, meals served and food consumed often represents 8 to 12 % of food costs. Custom software at 15 to 35 million FCFA excl. tax (about EUR 23,000 to 53,000) links badge, room, meal and stock, and produces per-person-per-day billing the mining client no longer disputes. On a food budget above 3 billion FCFA a year, the investment pays back within weeks.
What drives costs in a mining camp
In the Kayes, Sikasso or Koulikoro regions, a camp runs on its own: supplies trucked from Bamako or Dakar over 300 to 600 km, rooms shared by crews on 4/2 or 6/3 rotations, three meals a day plus packed meals for night shifts. Every camp manager knows the leaks: meals served to people already rotated out, untracked packed meals, expired stock due to poor rotation, occupied rooms not billed, gaps between the headcount declared by the client and actual headcount.
| Loss source | Without software | With badge and software | Estimated saving (1,000-person camp) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meals served outside headcount | 3 to 5 % of meals | Badge check at the canteen | 35 to 55 million FCFA per year |
| Untracked packed meals | Rough counting | Scan at handover | 10 to 18 million FCFA per year |
| Expired or lost food | 4 to 6 % of purchases | FIFO stock, expiry alerts | 25 to 40 million FCFA per year |
| Unbilled room nights | 2 to 4 % of nights | Room allocation tied to rotations | 8 to 15 million FCFA per year |
| Client billing disputes | 30 to 60 days collection delay | Shared daily badge statement | Faster cash flow |
| Emergency supplier orders | 15 to 25 % transport surcharge | Forecast from rotation schedule | 6 to 12 million FCFA per year |
Modules and their FCFA budget
The software must work on weak or intermittent connectivity (VSAT or unstable 4G on site): each camp has a local server that syncs with the Bamako head office whenever the network allows.
| Module | Function | Budget excl. tax 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and rotations | Rooms, beds, rotation schedule, arrivals and departures | 3 to 6 million FCFA |
| Badge-based catering | Badge reading at the canteen, quotas per contract, packed meals | 3 to 7 million FCFA |
| Food stock | Receiving, FIFO, inventories, expiry alerts | 2.5 to 6 million FCFA |
| Purchasing and suppliers | Forecasts, purchase orders, delivery tracking | 2 to 5 million FCFA |
| Mining client billing | Per person per day, room nights, meals, shared statements | 2 to 5 million FCFA |
| Offline mode and sync | Local server per camp, replication to head office | 1.5 to 4 million FCFA |
| Dashboards | Cost per meal, cost per person per day, margins | 1 to 2 million FCFA |
| Total project | 4 camps, delivered in 4 to 6 months | 15 to 35 million FCFA |
Also budget for: badge readers at 250,000 to 450,000 FCFA per checkpoint, a local server per camp at 1.5 to 3 million FCFA, and maintenance of 400,000 to 900,000 FCFA a month for the whole system.
Per-person-per-day billing, the key to the client relationship
Contracts with mining companies set a price per person per day, often between 18,000 and 32,000 FCFA (EUR 27 to 49) depending on service level, with extras for visitors and off-contract meals. When the daily statement is generated automatically from badge data and shared with the mine's procurement team, disputes disappear and collection time drops from 75 to 35 days.
Mini case study
Ibrahim, director of a mining services company in Bamako, runs 4 camps totalling 2,600 people. Average food cost: 3,600 FCFA per person per day, about 3.4 billion FCFA a year. He invests 28 million FCFA excl. tax in the software, 9 million FCFA in readers and servers, and 8.4 million FCFA in annual maintenance. After 6 months, off-headcount meals and stock losses fall: a 9 % saving on food costs, roughly 306 million FCFA (EUR 466,000) a year. Payback: about 7 weeks.
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FAQ
Does the software work without internet on site?
Yes. Each camp has a local server; syncing with Bamako runs over VSAT or 4G whenever the link is up, even at 256 kbit/s.
Can we reuse the mine's access badges?
Often yes, if badges are standard RFID. Integration with the client's access control costs 1 to 3 million FCFA depending on the system.
Will cooks and storekeepers be able to use it?
Screens are designed for tablets, in French, with minimal typing. Allow 2 days of training per camp.
Can local suppliers be paid by Orange Money?
Yes, the purchasing module can record Orange Money and Wave payments to small fresh-produce suppliers around the sites.
What if we open a fifth camp?
Adding a camp costs 2 to 4 million FCFA in configuration and hardware, with no redevelopment.
Let's scope your project. Camp software with rotations, badge-based catering, stock and client billing, 15 to 35 million FCFA excl. tax for 4 camps, delivered in 4 to 6 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.
