The verdict in three sentences
Application maintenance (TMA) is the survival cost of a business app, not an option: budget 15 to 22% of the build per year. For a SaaS built at 25,000,000 FCFA, that is 3,750,000 to 5,500,000 FCFA/year depending on whether you include enhancements and hosting. In 2026 the local day rate sits between 90,000 and 130,000 FCFA, and a monthly retainer often beats an on-demand day pack on responsiveness.
What TMA costs in 2026
TMA is sized to the scope covered. Here are the 2026 tiers for software built at 25,000,000 FCFA.
| TMA tier | Scope covered | Annual cost FCFA | % of build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Corrective only | Bugs, blocking incidents | 3,750,000 | 15% |
| Corrective + enhancements | + small changes, adjustments | 5,000,000 | 20% |
| Full (+ hosting/monitoring) | + infra, monitoring, backups | 5,500,000 | 22% |
| On-demand T&M | One-off day pack | Variable | by usage |
Below 15%, you fund neither security nor small enhancements: the software degrades and technical debt piles up.
What TMA covers, line by line
A serious retainer is not just "fixing bugs". Here is the typical split of a full TMA for this software.
| Line item | Content | Share of retainer |
|---|---|---|
| Support & incidents | Hotline, tickets, SLA | 30% |
| Security updates | Patches, dependencies, certificates | 20% |
| Backups & monitoring | Tested backups, monitoring, alerts | 20% |
| Small enhancements | Business tweaks, new screens | 20% |
| Reporting & steering | Monthly review, roadmap | 10% |
Typical monthly retainer: 350,000 to 480,000 FCFA/month, a predictable run that avoids the "surprise invoice" of a day pack burned in an emergency.
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Mini case study
Aminata, MD of a distribution SME in Toronto's supplier network, runs an inventory app built at 25,000,000 FCFA. She hesitates between T&M and a retainer. Choosing a corrective + enhancement TMA at 420,000 FCFA/month (5,040,000 FCFA/year), she secures a 4-hour SLA on blocking incidents and 2 enhancement days/month. Last year, an uncovered outage cost her 3 days of halted invoicing, estimated at 1,800,000 FCFA in commercial delay. The retainer, at ~20% of build, turns a random risk into a controlled charge, paid back on the first incident avoided.
FAQ
What share of the build for TMA? In 2026, 15 to 22% per year: 15% corrective only, up to 22% with enhancements, hosting and monitoring.
Monthly retainer or day pack? The retainer (350,000 to 480,000 FCFA/month) guarantees an SLA and responsiveness; a day pack suits stable, low-change software.
Is security included? In a serious TMA, security updates are ~20% of the retainer: patches, dependencies and certificates are essential.
What happens without TMA? Technical debt accumulates, vulnerabilities stay open, and any outage is costly: one day of downtime can exceed several hundred thousand FCFA in lost revenue.
The local day rate in 2026? Between 90,000 and 130,000 FCFA/day by seniority; it is the basis for day packs and one-off enhancements.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your software's build value and SLA needs: we size a right-scoped TMA. 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.
