The verdict in three sentences
For a company that wants to equip field teams in West Africa, a progressive web app (PWA) built by a London agency costs GBP 30,000 to 70,000, roughly half the price of two native apps (GBP 60,000 to 140,000). Built by a West African studio, the same scope runs 5 to 14 million FCFA (about GBP 6,500 to 18,000). It installs from a WhatsApp link, weighs under 1 MB on first load and keeps working offline when 3G drops between towns, which matters more than any store presence.
PWA or native app: the numbers for West African users
In Mali, Senegal or Côte d'Ivoire, over 85 % of smartphones in use are entry-level Android devices (16 to 64 GB storage, 2 to 4 GB RAM). Users readily delete an 80 MB app to free space, and every megabyte of data has a real cost for them.
| Criterion | PWA | Two native apps (Android + iOS) |
|---|---|---|
| Development budget 2026, London agency | GBP 30,000 to 70,000 | GBP 60,000 to 140,000 |
| Development budget 2026, West African studio | 5 to 14 million FCFA | 12 to 30 million FCFA |
| Delivery time | 8 to 12 weeks | 14 to 24 weeks |
| First-load size | 300 KB to 1 MB | 25 to 80 MB download |
| Install | WhatsApp or SMS link, one tap | Play Store, Google account required |
| Updates | Instant, no user action | Store review, 1 to 7 days |
| Offline mode | Yes (cache and sync queue) | Yes |
| Push notifications | Yes on Android, yes on iOS 16.4+ | Yes |
| Yearly maintenance | 10 to 15 % of budget | 15 to 25 % of budget (two codebases) |
Designing for 3G and expensive data
A 1 GB bundle costs between 1,000 and 2,000 FCFA (GBP 1.30 to 2.60) in 2026 with Orange or Moov Africa. For a delivery rider earning 75,000 to 120,000 FCFA a month, a data-hungry app becomes a real expense. The PWA must be engineered to save every byte.
| Technique | Measurable effect | Extra cost (London rates) |
|---|---|---|
| Code splitting and lazy loading | First screen in under 3 seconds on 3G | Included in the core |
| Compressed WebP or AVIF images | Image weight cut by 3 to 5x | GBP 1,500 to 3,000 |
| Offline cache (service worker) | Catalogue and routes available without signal | GBP 3,500 to 8,000 |
| Sync queue | Orders entered offline are sent once back online | GBP 5,000 to 12,000 |
| Push notifications | New route, stock-out, approval | GBP 2,000 to 4,500 |
| Data-saver mode | Images hidden, text only, about 50 KB per session | GBP 1,500 to 3,500 |
| Orange Money and Moov Money payments | Field collection with automatic confirmation | GBP 6,000 to 15,000 |
A realistic target: under 2 MB of data per day for a sales rep logging 20 to 30 orders.
Typical budget by scope
| Scope | Main features | London budget 2026 | West African studio budget 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Field order taking | Catalogue, customers, orders, offline | GBP 30,000 to 40,000 | 5 to 7 million FCFA |
| Full distribution | Plus routes, van stock, collections | GBP 42,000 to 55,000 | 8 to 11 million FCFA |
| Distribution + mobile money + head-office dashboard | Orange Money, Moov Money, live KPIs | GBP 55,000 to 70,000 | 11 to 14 million FCFA |
| Hosting and maintenance | Server, backups, fixes | GBP 4,000 to 9,000 per year | 1 to 2 million FCFA per year |
Many London teams split the work: product ownership and architecture in London, build and field testing with a studio in Dakar or Abidjan, which cuts the total by 40 to 60 %.
Mini case study
Oliver, COO of a London FMCG distributor expanding into Mali, needs to equip 40 sales reps and drivers in Bamako. Orders currently arrive by phone and WhatsApp voice notes, with about 6 % entry and delivery errors on monthly sales of 180 million FCFA (about GBP 235,000).
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The native quote from London came in at GBP 110,000. A PWA with the same scope, built with a West African partner, costs 10.5 million FCFA (about GBP 13,700) plus GBP 12,000 of London product oversight: over GBP 84,000 saved upfront. Cutting errors from 6 % to 2 % at a 15 % gross margin recovers about 1,080,000 FCFA (GBP 1,400) of margin per month, and reps use under 60 MB of data a month on the app.
FAQ
Does a PWA really work without signal?
Yes, the catalogue, customer records and order entry remain available offline through the cache. Data syncs automatically once the network returns, usually in under 30 seconds.
Can a PWA be published on the Play Store?
Yes, through a lightweight wrapper (Trusted Web Activity) costing GBP 2,000 to 4,000 of extra work in London. It reassures some users without changing the codebase.
Are iPhones supported?
Yes, since iOS 16.4 installed PWAs receive push notifications. In West African field teams, iPhones usually account for under 10 % of devices.
How much does maintenance cost?
Plan GBP 4,000 to 9,000 a year from a London agency, or 1 to 2 million FCFA locally, for hosting, backups and fixes. A single codebase keeps this line low.
Can the PWA take Orange Money payments?
Yes, integrating Orange Money and Moov Money costs 1 to 2.5 million FCFA locally depending on the number of operators. Confirmations arrive by webhook and update the order automatically.
Let's scope your project. Describe your field teams, their phones and the operations to cover: we will price the scope, an indicative budget in FCFA or GBP and an 8 to 12 week timeline. 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.
