The verdict in three sentences
Selling a site once means leaving 80 % of the value on the table: real profitability comes from recurring revenue after delivery. By adding maintenance (NGN 80,000-300,000/month), SEO and redesigns, client lifetime value (LTV) is multiplied by 3 to 5. The best moment to sell recurring is at delivery, when satisfaction peaks.
The recurring services to offer
After the site, several services turn a one-off client into a subscriber. Here are the 2026 ranges.
| Recurring service | Price / month NGN | Margin | Adoption rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maintenance and security | 80,000 to 300,000 | high | 40 to 60 % |
| Monthly SEO | 120,000 to 450,000 | high | 25 to 40 % |
| Managed hosting | 40,000 to 120,000 | medium | 60 to 80 % |
| Community / content | 150,000 to 400,000 | medium | 15 to 25 % |
| Ads campaigns (budget + 15-20 %) | variable | medium | 20 to 30 % |
A client taking maintenance + hosting + SEO easily generates NGN 300,000-600,000/month of recurring, more than the initial site within a year.
The effect on LTV
Compare a one-shot client to a retained client over 24 months. The gap is dramatic.
| Client profile | Initial sale | Recurring over 24 months | Total LTV |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-shot (site only) | 700,000 | 0 | 700,000 |
| + maintenance 120,000/month | 700,000 | 2,880,000 | 3,580,000 |
| + SEO 220,000/month | 700,000 | 8,160,000 | 8,860,000 |
The same client is worth NGN 700,000 one-shot or over NGN 8.8M across two years with recurring: an LTV multiplied by 12 in the full scenario, well beyond the 3-5x average.
Recurring also boosts your referral commissions
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The Kolonell referral program (apporteur d'affaires) does not only reward the initial sale: on showcase sites you also earn 5 % of the recurring. The 2026 rates:
| Segment | Sale commission | Referral recurring |
|---|---|---|
| Showcase site | 15 % | 5 % of maintenance |
| E-commerce | 12 % | per contract |
| Marketplace | 10 % | per contract |
| Institutional | 8 % | per contract |
If you refer a showcase client who takes maintenance at NGN 150,000/month, your 5 % recurring = NGN 7,500/month, or NGN 180,000 over 24 months, on top of the NGN 105,000 sale commission. Recurring turns a one-off referral into an annuity.
Mini case study
Emeka, a developer in Lagos, delivers 5 showcase sites a year at NGN 700,000, or NGN 3.5M annual revenue, then nothing. He adds a maintenance offer at NGN 120,000/month, adopted by 3 clients out of 5. Those 3 subscriptions earn him NGN 360,000/month, or NGN 4.32M over the following year, with no new sale. In two years his revenue rises from NGN 7M to over NGN 11M thanks to recurring alone, with a far steadier workload.
FAQ
When should I offer recurring? At delivery, when satisfaction is highest. A client who just discovered their new site accepts maintenance in 40-60 % of cases, versus barely 15 % if you call six months later.
Which service has the best adoption rate? Managed hosting, at 60-80 % adoption, because it feels essential. It is often the gateway to then selling maintenance and SEO.
How do I justify monthly maintenance? Security, updates, backups and small evolutions. An unmaintained site degrades and becomes vulnerable; framing maintenance as insurance gets the NGN 80,000-300,000/month rate accepted.
Is recurring worth the admin follow-up? Yes, by far: it stabilizes cash flow and multiplies LTV by 3 to 5. A portfolio of 10 maintenance clients at NGN 150,000/month already means NGN 1.5M/month of predictable revenue.
Let's talk about your project. We help you build maintenance offers and a referral recurring stream that grows every month. 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.
