The verdict in three sentences
A property manager in Lagos or Dubai running 40 buildings and 2,600 units and chasing owners by phone typically lets 20 to 35% of service charges go unpaid, which stalls maintenance and approved works. European block management software priced at $3.50 to $7 per unit per month becomes very expensive at this scale and ignores local payment rails. A custom medium-level system with an owner portal and local payments usually pays off within months on lower arrears alone.
Why arrears spike in Lagos and Dubai residential blocks
In Lekki, Ikoyi, Victoria Island or Dubai Marina, the manager issues quarterly service charge demands: security, lift maintenance, generators or district cooling, water pumps, cleaning, building insurance. Owners get a letter or a WhatsApp message at best, then pay by transfer, cheque or cash. Chasing happens by phone, when time allows.
The causes are well known: little visibility on how funds are used, overseas owners who are hard to reach, no simple payment option, and general meetings challenged for lack of quorum. In Dubai, RERA rules and the Mollak system add obligations on approved budgets and service charge collection.
| Item | Typical current situation | With adapted management software |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing service charge demands | 3 to 5 days per quarter | A few hours, calculated by unit share |
| Delivery channel | Paper, individual WhatsApp | SMS, email and owner portal |
| Payment methods | Transfer, cheque, cash | Bank transfer, card, Paystack or Flutterwave in Nigeria, local gateways in the UAE |
| Arrears rate | 20 to 35% | Target 10 to 18% within 12 months |
| Reminders | Phone, no history | Automatic at day 15, 30 and 60 |
| General meetings | Quorum hard to reach, overseas owners absent | Notice, voting and minutes online |
| Works tracking | Scattered quotes | File per building, photos, approved budget |
2026 order of magnitude, observed among professional property managers in both cities.
European software or custom software
European block management vendors are strong on service charge accounting, but at $3.50 to $7 per unit per month the price does not fit these markets for a 2,600-unit portfolio: about $109,000 to $218,000 a year.
| Criterion | European block management software | Kolonell custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | Data migration $3,500 to $11,000 | Medium application 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) |
| Recurring cost for 2,600 units | $3.50 to $7 per unit per month | Maintenance 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA a month (114 or 183 EUR) |
| Time to go live | 1 to 3 months | 3 to 5 months |
| Local payment rails | Usually missing | Paystack, Flutterwave, local card gateways |
| Local rules | European property law | Lagos tenancy and estate practice, Dubai RERA and Mollak |
| Owner portal | Standard | Statement, documents, works, overseas owners |
| Online general meetings | Vendor dependent | E-voting, generated minutes |
Vendor prices: 2026 order of magnitude. Kolonell figures: our public custom application grid, in FCFA and EUR.
What the software must cover in release one
Accounting per building: budget, apportionment by unit share, sinking or reserve fund, each owner's account with history.
Demands and collection: quarterly generation, payment link sent by SMS, automatic allocation to the right unit. Card and gateway fees usually run from 1.5 to 3% on the merchant side.
The owner portal: statement, minutes, contracts, supplier invoices, photos of works. This is the tool that rebuilds trust, especially with owners living in London, Houston or Toronto.
General meetings: notices, proxies, online voting, majority by unit share, minutes.
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Personal data: Nigeria's Data Protection Act 2023 and the UAE PDPL govern processing. Per-unit access, strong passwords, daily backups.
Mini case study
Mrs Adeyemi runs a property management firm in Lagos with 40 buildings and 2,600 units. Average service charges are $250 per unit per quarter, or 2,600 × $250 × 4 = $2,600,000 billed a year. Her arrears rate is 30%, or $780,000 uncollected.
With a medium-level custom system at 7,000,000 FCFA (10,670 EUR) and 120,000 FCFA monthly maintenance (2,196 EUR a year), she targets 18% arrears within a year. Recovered cash reaches $2,600,000 × 0.12 = $312,000, paid into the buildings' accounts for maintenance and works. Her fee income steadies, and she signs three new developments on the strength of the owner portal.
FAQ
How much does condominium management software cost?
European vendors charge about $3.50 to $7 per unit per month as a 2026 order of magnitude. A custom system falls within our medium application grid, 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR), plus 75,000 or 120,000 FCFA monthly maintenance.
Can owners pay online with local methods?
Yes, the payment link goes out with the demand and the payment is allocated to the unit automatically. Merchant-side fees usually sit between 1.5 and 3%.
Can general meetings be held online?
Yes, where the building's constitution or a resolution allows it. E-voting often lifts turnout from around 30% to over 50%, largely thanks to overseas owners.
How long to migrate 40 buildings?
Development takes 3 to 5 months, then balances are migrated in waves of 10 buildings over 4 to 6 weeks.
Does software really cut arrears?
Visibility and easy payment typically cut arrears by 8 to 15 points over 12 months, as an order of magnitude. Automatic reminders at day 15, 30 and 60 do most of the work.
Let's scope your project. We scope building accounting, online collection and the owner portal with you, then migrate your buildings in waves. 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.
