The verdict in three sentences
For a group present in 6 countries, a multi-site platform costs 20,000,000 to 45,000,000 FCFA (about EUR 30,500 to 68,600) for the core, then 2,500,000 to 5,000,000 FCFA per subsidiary (EUR 3,800 to 7,600); Berlin agencies typically quote 2 to 3 times these amounts for an equivalent scope. Compared with 6 separately built sites, savings reach 30 to 50% over three years, maintenance included. The most lasting gain is brand consistency: a shared design system and a central CMS stop each subsidiary from drifting towards its own visual identity.
What the shared core contains
The core carries everything that does not change from country to country: the design system (components, typography, colours, page templates), the central CMS with its editorial roles, hosting and CDN infrastructure, security and the compliance framework (GDPR, Senegal's law 2008-12, Côte d'Ivoire's law 2013-450 and regional equivalents). Each subsidiary then gets its own domain, content and languages.
| Core component | 2026 price (FCFA ex. VAT) | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and editorial governance | 2,500,000 to 5,000,000 | Group + subsidiary workshops, roles matrix |
| Shared design system | 5,000,000 to 10,000,000 | 40 to 80 components, templates, documentation |
| Central multi-domain CMS | 6,000,000 to 14,000,000 | Approval workflow, country roles, shared media library |
| Group corporate site | 4,000,000 to 10,000,000 | 25 to 40 pages, investor relations, careers |
| Infrastructure, CDN, security | 1,500,000 to 4,000,000 | Hosting, backups, CSP headers, monitoring |
| Accessibility and compliance | 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 | WCAG 2.1 AA audit, notices and consent per country |
| Core total | 20,000,000 to 45,000,000 | Delivered in 4 to 6 months |
Cost per subsidiary vs separate sites
Once the core is live, each subsidiary is mostly content and configuration: 2,500,000 FCFA for a 10 to 15 page site in one language, up to 5,000,000 FCFA with product pages, specific forms and a second language. A corporate site built in isolation by a local agency costs 8,000,000 to 15,000,000 FCFA in 2026, with no shared design and no pooled maintenance.
| 3-year item (6 subsidiaries) | Multi-site platform | 6 separate sites |
|---|---|---|
| Build | 32,000,000 + 6 × 3,500,000 = 53,000,000 | 6 × 12,000,000 = 72,000,000 |
| Annual maintenance | 6,000,000 / year (single) | 6 × 1,800,000 = 10,800,000 / year |
| Maintenance over 3 years | 18,000,000 | 32,400,000 |
| Future visual refresh | Once on the core | 6 times |
| Security updates | 1 codebase to maintain | 6 codebases, up to 6 vendors |
| 3-year total | 71,000,000 FCFA | 104,400,000 FCFA |
| Savings | 33,400,000 FCFA, i.e. 32% | Baseline |
With 8 to 10 subsidiaries or a brand refresh midway, savings exceed 40 to 50%.
Governance: who publishes what
These projects rarely fail on technology and often fail on governance. Three role levels work well: group communications owns the design system and shared pages, one editor per subsidiary publishes news and job offers, and a group approver signs off sensitive pages (financial results, press releases). Plan 1 to 2 days of training per country and a 20 to 30 page editorial guide. Typical timing is 4 to 6 months for the core and group site, then 3 to 4 weeks per subsidiary, with two subsidiaries deployable in parallel.
Mini case study
Aïssatou, head of communications at a Dakar-based agro-industrial group operating in Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo and Benin, receives three subsidiary quotes for separate sites at 11,000,000, 13,000,000 and 14,000,000 FCFA. Extrapolated to 6 countries, that is about 75,000,000 FCFA of build cost. She chooses a 34,000,000 FCFA core and 6 subsidiaries at 3,200,000 FCFA, i.e. 53,200,000 FCFA. Build savings: 21,800,000 FCFA, or 29%. Adding a single maintenance contract at 6,000,000 FCFA a year instead of 6 contracts, the 3-year gap exceeds 35,000,000 FCFA.
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FAQ
How much does a multi-site corporate platform cost?
In 2026 on our projects, the shared core costs 20,000,000 to 45,000,000 FCFA, then 2,500,000 to 5,000,000 FCFA per subsidiary. A realistic minimum budget for a 4 to 6 country group is around 35,000,000 FCFA (about EUR 53,000).
Does each subsidiary keep its own domain?
Yes, the platform serves several domains (group.sn, group.ci, group.de) from one CMS. Configuration costs about 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA per domain.
Can a subsidiary have a slightly different identity?
Yes, through controlled design system variants: accent colour, imagery, optional templates. Budget 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA per variant.
What compliance applies to data collected in several countries?
Each country has its regulator (CDP in Senegal, ARTCI in Côte d'Ivoire, national DPAs in the EU). The core includes notices and consent per country, for 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA in total.
How long to cover 6 countries?
Four to six months for the core and group site, then about 3 months to roll out 6 subsidiaries in pairs, 7 to 9 months overall.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of subsidiaries, languages and existing sites: we will price the core, the per-subsidiary cost and a country-by-country rollout plan. 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.
