The verdict in three sentences
For a school group of 600 to 2,500 pupils in Lomé, cash ledgers and spreadsheet report cards cost more than they seem: unpaid fees, grade errors, queues at the start of term. Custom school management software costs 4,000,000 to 12,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 18,300 EUR) in 2026, delivered in 8 to 12 weeks. With a parent portal and mobile fee payment, unpaid fees drop by 20 to 40%, which pays back the tool in the first school year.
2026 prices by school size
Price depends on pupil numbers, the number of cycles (nursery, primary, lower and upper secondary) and the modules chosen.
| School size | Included modules | Indicative budget | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| 600 to 900 pupils, 1 site | Enrolment, fees, report cards | 4,000,000 to 5,500,000 FCFA | 8 weeks |
| 900 to 1,500 pupils, 1 site | + parent portal and mobile payment | 5,500,000 to 8,000,000 FCFA | 9 to 10 weeks |
| 1,500 to 2,500 pupils, 2 sites | + timetables, absences, SMS | 8,000,000 to 10,500,000 FCFA | 10 to 12 weeks |
| Multi-site group, 2,500+ pupils | + teacher payroll, consolidated dashboard | 10,500,000 to 12,000,000 FCFA | 12 weeks |
| Annual maintenance and hosting | Updates, backups, support | 600,000 to 1,800,000 FCFA per year | Ongoing |
Mobile money gateway fees (T-Money, Flooz) run around 1 to 2% per transaction, usually passed on to the parent or absorbed by the school depending on its policy.
Custom build, packaged solution or spreadsheet
Many schools in Lomé start with Excel, then try a generic product. Here is what each option means over three years.
| Criterion | Spreadsheet and ledger | Generic online solution | Custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3-year cost (1,200 pupils) | 0 FCFA licence, 2 to 3 dedicated clerks | 3,600,000 to 7,200,000 FCFA (per-pupil subscription) | 6,500,000 to 10,000,000 FCFA incl. maintenance |
| Report cards in Togolese format | Manual, frequent errors | Partial adaptation | Compliant with coefficients and comments |
| T-Money and Flooz payment | No | Rarely integrated | Integrated, automatic receipt |
| Parent portal | No | Often in English or generic | In French, mobile, data-light |
| Works on weak connections | Offline by nature | Depends on foreign server | 3G-optimised, local cache |
| Data ownership | Local but fragile | With the vendor | With the school |
A custom build pays off as soon as it replaces one data-entry clerk and recovers part of the unpaid fees.
Where a private school's revenue leaks
In a school with average annual fees of 300,000 to 600,000 FCFA, losses concentrate on a few items.
| Loss item | 2026 estimate | Software lever |
|---|---|---|
| Unpaid tuition | 12 to 20% of expected fees | Instalment plans, SMS reminders, mobile payment |
| Cash errors and lost receipts | 1 to 3% of collections | Timestamped digital receipt |
| Report card entry time | 60 to 120 hours per term | Automatic averages and rankings |
| Enrolment queues | 3 to 5 days blocked at start of term | Online pre-enrolment |
| Parent complaints | 10 to 30 per week | Portal with grades, absences and balance |
Mini case study
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Mr Agbeko, founder of a 1,400-pupil school group in Lomé, charges average fees of 450,000 FCFA, i.e. 630,000,000 FCFA expected per year. Unpaid fees reach 15%, or 94,500,000 FCFA.
He commissions software with a parent portal and T-Money and Flooz payment for 7,500,000 FCFA (about 11,400 EUR), plus 1,200,000 FCFA of annual maintenance. By cutting unpaid fees by 30%, he recovers 94,500,000 × 30% = 28,350,000 FCFA in the first year. The tool pays for itself in under 4 months. He also reassigns a data-entry clerk to family follow-up, which further improves collection.
FAQ
How much does private school management software cost in Lomé?
Between 4,000,000 and 12,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 18,300 EUR) in 2026 depending on pupils and modules. Annual maintenance is 600,000 to 1,800,000 FCFA.
Can parents pay fees by mobile money?
Yes, the portal integrates T-Money and Flooz, with automatic receipts and instant balance updates. Gateway fees are around 1 to 2% per payment.
Do report cards follow the Togolese format?
Yes, coefficients, comments, rankings and term averages are configured for your cycles. Printing a class's report cards takes seconds instead of hours.
Does the software work on a weak connection?
Yes, pages are 3G-optimised and the office can enter data offline then sync. A parent portal page weighs under 300 KB.
How long until we are up and running?
8 to 12 weeks. We recommend launching 4 to 6 weeks before the start of term to open online pre-enrolment.
Let's scope your project. We define your modules (fees, report cards, parent portal, mobile payment), an indicative budget of 4,000,000 to 12,000,000 FCFA and a go-live before the new school year. 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.
