The verdict in three sentences
Shopify is unbeatable on launch speed but its subscription-plus-commission model penalizes merchants who collect mostly through mobile money and local gateways. A custom solution costs more upfront (1 to 4 million FCFA one-shot) but aligns natively with local rails at around 1 % and belongs to you 100 %. The tipping point sits around 3 to 5 million FCFA of monthly revenue: below it Shopify wins, above it custom becomes profitable.
The real cost of Shopify in Nigeria
Shopify charges a dollar subscription plus a 2 % commission on every sale when you don't use Shopify Payments — and Shopify Payments is not available in Nigeria, so that tax applies almost always. On top of that, the local gateway (Paystack, Flutterwave) takes its own margin.
| Item | Shopify Basic | Shopify Standard | Custom Kolonell |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | $29 (~18,000 FCFA) | $79 (~48,000 FCFA) | 0 |
| Platform commission | 2 % per sale | 2 % per sale | 0 % |
| Local gateway fee | 1.5-2.9 % | 1.5-2.9 % | Wave 1 %, OM ~1.5 % |
| Setup cost | ~150,000 FCFA | ~150,000 FCFA | 1,000,000-4,000,000 FCFA |
| Code ownership | No (rental) | No (rental) | Yes (100 %) |
| Payment control | Limited | Limited | Full (native rails) |
Cost compared over 24 months
Take a store doing 2,000,000 FCFA in sales per month. Shopify's 2 % commission is 40,000 FCFA monthly, or 960,000 FCFA over two years — just for the platform tax, not counting the subscription.
| Element | Shopify Standard (24 months) | Custom Kolonell (24 months) |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | ~1,150,000 FCFA | 0 |
| 2 % commission (on 48M revenue) | 960,000 FCFA | 0 |
| Gateway fee vs 1 % local | +480,000 FCFA gap | included |
| Initial investment | 150,000 FCFA | 2,000,000 FCFA (estimate) |
| Total 24 months | ~2,740,000 FCFA | ~2,000,000 FCFA + hosting |
| Asset owned at the end | None | Full store |
These amounts are a 2026 order of magnitude: at low volume Shopify stays cheaper, but from 2,000,000 FCFA in monthly sales custom catches up and then overtakes on value.
The West Africa parallel
In francophone markets the equation shifts: Shopify Payments is unavailable, so the 2 % tax hits every sale and you still layer a Wave or Orange Money gateway on top. Large sellers routinely migrate to custom to remove that tax and own their customer data — the same logic that pushes Nigerian sellers off Shopify once volume grows.
Mini case study
Awa runs a cosmetics store, 2,500,000 FCFA in monthly sales, 90 % collected through mobile money. On Shopify Standard she pays 48,000 FCFA subscription plus 50,000 FCFA commission (2 %) plus gateway fees, about 110,000 FCFA per month. A custom store collecting at 1 % would cost her 25,000 FCFA in monthly fees plus hosting. The annual saving is close to 900,000 FCFA — the custom investment pays back in a little over two years, and she owns the asset.
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FAQ
Does Shopify Payments work in Nigeria?
No, Shopify Payments is not available in Nigeria in 2026, which triggers Shopify's 2 % commission on every sale. You must use a third-party gateway like Paystack or Flutterwave, which adds its own fees.
How much does a custom store cost at Kolonell?
Budget from 1,000,000 FCFA for an e-commerce starter up to 4,000,000 FCFA for a premium build with PWA. It's a one-time investment, with no platform subscription and no per-sale commission.
At what volume does custom become profitable?
As an order of magnitude, from 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 FCFA in monthly sales, removing Shopify's 2 % commission justifies the custom investment over 24 months. Below that, Shopify stays the cheapest way to start.
Can I migrate from Shopify to custom later?
Yes, and it's a common path. We recover your catalog, customers and order history, then rebuild on a custom base with native mobile money, without downtime.
Is custom slower to launch?
A custom store needs 10 to 20 days of development versus a few hours for a Shopify theme. But you gain full control, zero commission and ownership of the code.
Let's talk about your project. We'll calculate your Shopify-vs-custom tipping point from your real volume. 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.
