The verdict in three sentences
A pan-African group's corporate website is not a scaled-up brochure site: it is a multi-site platform with one subsidiary per country, centralized editorial governance and a bank-grade security foundation. In Abidjan in 2026, the realistic budget runs from 18 to 45 million FCFA depending on the number of subsidiaries and languages, over 14 to 20 weeks. The real cost of ownership shows up after launch: maintenance, hosting and governance account for 15 to 25% of the build every year.
What the package covers by scope
The price depends on three variables: number of subsidiaries/countries, number of languages, and level of editorial governance. Here are the 2026 orders of magnitude for Abidjan.
| Scope | Pages | Languages | Timeline | Budget FCFA (ex. tax) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-country group | 20-30 | 1-2 | 10-12 wks | 12-18 M |
| Group with 2-3 subsidiaries | 30-45 | 2 | 14-16 wks | 18-30 M |
| Pan-African group, 4-6 subsidiaries | 45-60 | 2-3 | 16-20 wks | 30-45 M |
| Holding + interactive annual report | 60+ | 3 | 20-24 wks | 45-70 M |
Each subsidiary adds its own sub-site (localized brand, news, contacts, HR offers) while sharing the group's design system and CMS. That pooling is what avoids paying for six separate sites.
Governance, languages and security: the premium foundation
The difference between a corporate site and a group's institutional site lies in the approval workflow: a contributor drafts, a country lead reviews, group communications publishes. This multi-level circuit is configured in a headless CMS (Sanity, Strapi) and governs brand compliance.
| Item | Detail | 2026 order of magnitude |
|---|---|---|
| Editorial governance | 3-level workflow, roles per country | included in 30 M+ build |
| Multilingual | FR + EN (+ AR/PT per subsidiary) | +2 to 4 M FCFA per language |
| Hosting + CDN | 99.9% uptime, Africa/EU edge | 150,000-400,000 FCFA/month |
| Maintenance (TMA) | Fixes, evolutions, 24/7 monitoring | 800,000-2,500,000 FCFA/month |
| Security audit | CSP headers, annual pentest | 2-5 M FCFA/year |
The 99.9% uptime allows roughly 8 h 45 of downtime per year: the expected threshold for a listed or regulated group.
Mini case study
Mr. Kouassi, communications director of an agri-industrial group in Abidjan with 4 subsidiaries (Ivory Coast, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso), wants a group site + 4 sub-sites in FR/EN. Agreed scope: 48 pages, 3-level governance, maintenance at 1,200,000 FCFA/month.
Build: 34 M FCFA (ex. tax) over 17 weeks. Over 3 years, maintenance totals 1,200,000 x 36 = 43.2 M FCFA, plus hosting 300,000 x 36 = 10.8 M FCFA. Total 3-year cost of ownership: 88 M FCFA. Spread across the 4 subsidiaries, that is ~7.3 M FCFA per subsidiary per year for a compliant, secure corporate presence — far less than 4 standalone sites maintained separately (estimate +35 to 50%).
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FAQ
Why does a group site cost more than a simple brochure site?
Because you pay for the multi-site architecture, editorial governance and security. A brochure site fits in 800,000-2,000,000 FCFA; a group site starts at 18 M FCFA because it pools several subsidiaries on one foundation.
How many languages should you plan for?
FR + EN are the minimum for a pan-African group. Add Arabic (with RTL support) or Portuguese if you have subsidiaries in the Maghreb or Angola/Mozambique. Budget 2 to 4 M FCFA per additional language.
What is a realistic timeline for 5 subsidiaries?
Between 16 and 20 weeks: 3-4 weeks of scoping and design system, 8-10 of development, 3-4 of multi-country content integration and QA. Forcing 8 weeks blows up rework costs.
Is maintenance really mandatory?
Yes for a group. Without maintenance, security flaws and bugs pile up, and 99.9% uptime becomes untenable. Budget at least 800,000 FCFA/month from launch.
Can we start with the group site and add subsidiaries later?
Yes, and it is recommended: deliver the foundation and holding site in phase 1, then roll out each subsidiary in lots. This smooths cash flow over 6 to 9 months.
Let's scope your project. Tell us the number of subsidiaries, languages and whether you want an interactive annual report: we will scope a package between 18 and 45 M FCFA and a fitting maintenance 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.
