The verdict in three sentences
A Nairobi pharmacy without real-time inventory loses 6 to 11% of margin on expiries and stockouts. A custom build (POS, batch stock with expiry, alerts, mobile money) costs 4 to 8M FCFA over 8 to 10 weeks; a pharmacy SaaS starts at 90,000 FCFA/month but caps the number of SKUs. The trade-off turns on SKU volume and horizon: beyond 26 months, the build often wins.
Cost per module of a pharmacy app
| Module | Scope | Cost FCFA 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| POS / register | Sale, receipt, payment | 900,000 - 1,800,000 |
| Batch stock + expiry | Expiries, threshold alerts | 1,200,000 - 2,400,000 |
| Mobile money | Native mobile payment | 700,000 - 1,400,000 |
| Suppliers & orders | Auto reorder, POs | 600,000 - 1,300,000 |
| Prescriptions & clients | History, loyalty | 500,000 - 1,100,000 |
| Margin dashboard | Turnover, top products | 400,000 - 900,000 |
The core (POS + batch/expiry stock + mobile money) fits a first tier of 3 to 5.5M FCFA.
Build vs Buy: 3-year TCO
| Line item | Custom build | Monthly SaaS |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront investment | 4,000,000 - 8,000,000 | 0 - 300,000 |
| Monthly cost | 90,000 (maintenance) | 90,000 - 220,000 |
| 12-month total | ~6,100,000 | 1,080,000 - 2,640,000 |
| 36-month total | ~7,200,000 | 3,240,000 - 7,920,000 |
| SKU limit | None | 3,000 - 8,000 per plan |
| Code ownership | Yes | No |
A pharmacy with a large catalog (>5,000 SKUs) quickly hits SaaS caps and recoups the build around 26 months.
Expiry loss: before / after
| Metric | No app | With app |
|---|---|---|
| Margin lost to expiries | 6 - 11% | 1.5 - 3% |
| Stockouts/month | 25 - 40 | 5 - 10 |
| Inventory time/week | 12h | 3h |
| Cash discrepancies/month | 40,000 - 90,000 | < 15,000 |
| Stock visibility | End of day | Real time |
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Mini case study
Awa runs a pharmacy in central Nairobi: 6,200-SKU catalog, revenue 22M FCFA/month. She was losing 8% of margin to expiries, about 350,000 FCFA/month. After a 5.5M FCFA build, the loss drops to 2%, inventory falls from 12h to 3h/week (9h saved), and stockouts fall from 32 to 7/month. Monthly saving: ~260,000 FCFA. The build pays off in ~21 months, before time savings.
FAQ
Isn't SaaS enough for a small pharmacy? For under 3,000 SKUs and low volume, yes: SaaS at 90,000 FCFA/month stays cheap. Beyond that, caps and per-user fees flip the math.
How does the app handle expiry dates? Each batch carries its expiry; the app alerts 30, 60 and 90 days ahead and prioritizes FEFO (first-expired, first-out).
Is mobile money really integrated? Yes, mobile money collection is native: the customer pays cashless, cutting cash discrepancies to under 15,000 FCFA/month.
Does it work offline? Yes, offline-first: the register keeps running during an outage then syncs, essential in Kenya.
How long to build? 8 to 10 weeks for the POS + stock + payment core, with a usable register by week 5.
Let's talk about your project. We'll assess your catalog and tell you whether build or SaaS is the right call. 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.
