The verdict in three sentences
A professional brochure site built by a French-speaking nearshore team in Dakar costs, in 2026, from 250,000 FCFA (about EUR 380) for a 5-page Starter to 1,500,000 FCFA (about EUR 2,285) for a Premium build with animation and deep SEO. The same scope from a UK agency runs GBP 18,000-40,000, so nearshoring saves 45-60 % on comparable quality. The trade-off is coordination across time zones and language, both manageable with a bilingual FR/EN team.
Nearshore grid vs UK agency (2026)
The three nearshore tiers map cleanly onto what a London buyer would otherwise pay locally. The table converts FCFA to EUR and sets both against UK agency ranges.
| Tier | Scope | Nearshore (FCFA / EUR) | UK agency | Saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starter | 5 pages | 250,000-450,000 / EUR 380-685 | GBP 6,000-10,000 | ~55 % |
| Growth | 8-10 pages + blog | 500,000-800,000 / EUR 760-1,220 | GBP 12,000-20,000 | ~50 % |
| Premium | 12+ pages + SEO | 900,000-1,500,000 / EUR 1,370-2,285 | GBP 22,000-40,000 | ~60 % |
| Maintenance | monthly | 25,000-75,000 / EUR 38-114 | GBP 300-550/mo | ~50 % |
Rule of thumb: the saving widens on the Premium tier, where UK day rates weigh most heavily.
Total cost of ownership over one year
The build price is only part of the picture. Here is a one-year TCO comparison for a Growth-equivalent site.
| Line | Nearshore (EUR) | UK agency (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| Build | 760-1,220 | 12,000-20,000 |
| Maintenance (12 mo) | 456-1,368 | 3,600-6,600 |
| Hosting + domain | 90-230 | 300-800 |
| SEO/content (option, 12 mo) | 1,370-3,660 | 6,000-18,000 |
| Year-1 total | 2,676-6,478 | 21,900-45,400 |
Even with the SEO option, the nearshore year-one total stays a fraction of the UK equivalent.
Mini case study
Sophie, marketing lead at a London consultancy, needs a bilingual FR/EN brochure site to support pitches to francophone clients. She commissions a Growth-equivalent build at 650,000 FCFA (EUR 990), delivered in 3 weeks, with blog and analytics. Adding maintenance at 40,000 FCFA/month (EUR 61) and SEO at 100,000 FCFA/month (EUR 152), her year-one budget is about EUR 3,546. The nearest UK quote was GBP 16,000 for the build alone: the nearshore route frees roughly GBP 14,000 for content and paid acquisition instead.
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FAQ
How much can I really save by nearshoring to Dakar?
Roughly 45-60 % versus a UK agency on comparable quality, widest on Premium builds. A GBP 22,000 UK Premium maps to about EUR 2,285 nearshore.
Is language a barrier?
No with a bilingual FR/EN team: briefs, reviews and documentation run in English while French-language content is handled natively. That combination is exactly the nearshore advantage for francophone-facing projects.
What about time zones?
Dakar is on GMT year-round, so the overlap with London is near-total. Same-day review cycles are the norm, unlike far-shore options.
How fast is delivery?
2 to 4 weeks depending on tier, provided content is supplied on time. Late content is the number-one cause of delay, exactly as with a local agency.
What ongoing costs should I budget?
Maintenance at 25,000-75,000 FCFA/month (EUR 38-114) plus hosting, and optionally SEO at 75,000-200,000 FCFA/month. Over a year that is a fraction of UK retainer pricing.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your scope, languages and whether you want presence or lead generation, and we price it in FCFA with the EUR equivalent. 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.
