The verdict in three sentences
A custom-built system for a Cotonou pharmacy (stock, sales, expiry alerts, barcode) costs between 4,000,000 and 12,000,000 FCFA, over an 8 to 14 week timeline. Imported licences are often poorly adapted to the local medicine supply chain and multi-branch organisation, whereas custom fits your shelves. The payoff: 35% fewer stockouts and physical stocktaking cut to a third of its duration thanks to barcodes.
Custom price per module in 2026
A pharmacy lives or dies on its stock. 2026 order of magnitude for Cotonou.
| Module | Timeline | Price FCFA | Price EUR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock management + barcode | 3 wks | 3,000,000 | 4,570 |
| Point of sale (checkout) | 2-3 wks | 2,500,000 | 3,810 |
| Expiry alerts + batches | 2 wks | 1,800,000 | 2,745 |
| Automatic supplier reorder | 2 wks | 1,500,000 | 2,285 |
| Multi-branch mode | 2-3 wks | 2,200,000 | 3,355 |
| Owner dashboard | 1-2 wks | 1,200,000 | 1,830 |
The stock + checkout + expiry core starts around 4,000,000-6,000,000 FCFA; adding multi-branch and automatic reorder reaches 12,000,000 FCFA.
Imported licence vs local custom
Purchase cost is not the only criterion: field fit makes the difference. 3-year comparison.
| Criterion | Imported licence | Local custom |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | 2,500,000 FCFA | 6,000,000 FCFA |
| Annual subscription | 1,200,000 FCFA | 1,500,000 FCFA (maintenance) |
| Local supply-chain fit | low | high |
| French support in Cotonou | limited | included |
| Stockout reduction | ~10% | ~35% |
| 3-year total | 6,100,000 FCFA | 10,500,000 FCFA |
The imported licence is cheaper to buy, but distant support and poor field fit erase the advantage: the 35% stockout reduction pays the gap in added margin.
Mini case study
Mr Hounkpatin, owner of two pharmacies in Cotonou, posts 480,000,000 FCFA annual revenue at a 22% gross margin. Stockouts cost him roughly 4% of potential sales, i.e. 19,200,000 FCFA of revenue and 4,200,000 FCFA of margin per year. Cutting stockouts by 35% via automatic reorder and alerts recovers about 1,470,000 FCFA of margin/year, plus reduced expiries and a stocktake that drops from 12 h to 4 h. The 8,000,000 FCFA build pays back in two to three years while durably firming up the pharmacy.
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FAQ
Does it work with a barcode scanner?
Yes: checkout entry and stocktaking are done by scan, cutting stocktake duration to a third and firming up stock. It is included in the module at about 3,000,000 FCFA.
Can it manage several branches?
Yes, multi-branch mode shares stock, sales and reporting across your outlets, with inter-branch transfers. That is what pushes the budget toward 12,000,000 FCFA.
How do expiry alerts work?
The software tracks batches and dates, and warns ahead of time about products nearing expiry so you can sell or return them. This directly reduces dead losses.
Why not take a cheaper imported licence?
Because distant support and poor local fit cost you in stockouts and time. Over 3 years, the stockout-reduction gap (35% vs 10%) often flips the calculation.
What is the go-live timeline?
Between 8 and 14 weeks. A stock + checkout + expiry core ships in 8 weeks; multi-branch with reorder pushes toward 14 weeks.
Let's scope your project. Specify your number of branches, SKU volume and suppliers: we frame a scope from 4,000,000 FCFA. 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.
