The verdict in three sentences
For an international firm (Dubai, Paris or US-based) entering West Africa or bidding with local partners on AfDB, World Bank or AFD tenders, a French/English corporate website built by a regional agency costs in 2026 between 3,500,000 and 7,000,000 FCFA (about USD 6,000 to 12,000, EUR 5,300 to 10,700), delivered in 8 to 12 weeks. The core of the project is a project references page with 40 geolocated sites and downloadable qualification documents, because that is what evaluators and local partners check first. Each additional language (Portuguese, Arabic) adds 600,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA, and hosting costs about 300,000 FCFA a year (USD 500).
Why French matters and what it costs
Eight of the fifteen ECOWAS states use French as their working language, and procurement in Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal, Mali or Burkina Faso runs in French. A site that is English-only, or machine-translated, signals to ministries and local partners that you have no real presence. Building with a regional agency instead of your home agency typically costs 3 to 5 times less for the same scope.
| Item | 2026 budget (FCFA) | Approx. USD | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discovery and bilingual sitemap | 300,000 to 600,000 | 500 to 1,000 | 15 to 25 pages, workshops with management and bids team |
| Custom corporate design | 700,000 to 1,300,000 | 1,200 to 2,200 | Brand guidelines, drone photography, premium look for funders |
| Project references (40 geolocated projects) | 800,000 to 1,600,000 | 1,350 to 2,700 | Interactive map, filters by sector, country, funder, value |
| Qualification document area | 400,000 to 900,000 | 700 to 1,500 | Certificates, ISO, financial statements, executive CVs, optional gated access |
| Business line pages | 500,000 to 1,000,000 | 850 to 1,700 | 4 to 6 pages with key figures |
| Professional French translation and integration | 400,000 to 800,000 | 700 to 1,350 | Technical and procurement vocabulary |
| SEO, 3G performance, QA, launch | 400,000 to 800,000 | 700 to 1,350 | Light pages, WebP images, mobile tests |
| Total FR/EN | 3,500,000 to 7,000,000 | 6,000 to 12,000 | 8 to 12 weeks |
For comparison, the same scope quoted by a Paris agency typically lands at EUR 18,000 to 35,000, by a Dubai agency at AED 60,000 to 120,000, and by a US agency at USD 25,000 to 50,000.
Language options and recurring costs
| Item | 2026 cost (FCFA) | Approx. USD | When to plan it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Additional language (Portuguese, Arabic, Chinese) | 600,000 to 1,200,000 | 1,000 to 2,000 | Angola, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Gulf or Chinese partners |
| Arabic version with RTL layout | 900,000 to 1,400,000 | 1,500 to 2,400 | IsDB financing, Gulf funds |
| Professional hosting and CDN | 300,000 per year | 500 | Always |
| Maintenance and updates | 75,000 to 150,000 per month | 125 to 250 | New projects, security, backups |
| New project sheet added later | 25,000 to 50,000 | 40 to 85 | If you do not enter it yourself |
| Photo and drone shoot per site | 150,000 to 400,000 | 250 to 700 | Flagship projects for tenders |
Avoid machine-only translation: a French-speaking evaluator who reads awkward procurement terms draws conclusions about your ability to submit a technical offer in French.
What the site changes in your tenders
| Indicator | No site or outdated site | Structured FR/EN site |
|---|---|---|
| Time to prepare the references section of a bid | 3 to 5 days | 1 to 2 days (export from the site) |
| Joint-venture requests from local or foreign partners | 0 to 2 per year | 5 to 12 per year |
| Prequalification pass rate | 30 to 40 % | 45 to 60 % |
| Visits from target West African countries | Under 10 % | 35 to 50 % |
| Response time to document requests | 2 to 4 days | Immediate (download) |
Mini case study
Omar, business development director of a Dubai-based engineering and construction group, wants to bid on AfDB-funded road projects in Côte d'Ivoire. His home agency quotes AED 95,000 (about USD 25,900) for a French/English site. He commissions a regional agency instead for 5,200,000 FCFA (about USD 8,900) with 40 geolocated references, saving roughly USD 17,000. Preparing the references section drops from 4 days to 1.5 days per bid; over 15 bids a year that is 37.5 person-days saved. Within 18 months, three Ivorian contractors approach the group for joint ventures, one of which wins a 1.8 billion FCFA lot (about USD 3.1 million). A 6 % net margin on that lot alone is worth more than 20 times the cost of the site.
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FAQ
How much does a French/English corporate site for West Africa cost?
Budget 3,500,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (USD 6,000 to 12,000) with a regional agency for 15 to 25 pages and geolocated references. The same scope costs USD 25,000 to 50,000 with a US agency.
How much does an extra language cost?
Each language adds 600,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA (USD 1,000 to 2,000) including professional translation. Arabic with right-to-left layout runs 900,000 to 1,400,000 FCFA.
Can we restrict access to qualification documents?
Yes, a gated area costs 400,000 to 900,000 FCFA and lets you share financial statements and certificates only with approved partners. Every download is logged.
How fast can a site be ready before a tender?
The standard timeline is 8 to 12 weeks. A priority version with your 15 flagship projects can go live in 5 to 6 weeks, with the rest added afterwards.
Will the site load on slow mobile connections?
Yes, if it is optimised: pages under 1 MB, WebP images and deferred map loading. A well-optimised page displays in under 3 seconds on 3G, which matters since most West African traffic is mobile.
Let's scope your project. Send us your project list and the tenders you are targeting: we will price the bilingual scope, a budget in FCFA and USD and an 8 to 12 week 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.
