The verdict in three sentences
A shopping mall or property company managing 40 to 200 units in Excel loses money in three places: arrears (8 to 15% of billing), poorly recharged service charges and uncontrolled turnover rents. International property management software comes with heavy licences and often ignores local tax rules and mobile payment. A custom application at FCFA 15,000,000-30,000,000 (about EUR 23,000-46,000 or USD 25,000-50,000) covers leases, indexation, rent and service charge calls, turnover rents, footfall and reminders, with a realistic target of 40% fewer arrears. The same reasoning applies to property companies in Dubai or London, with budgets in EUR.
Excel, international licence or custom
Abidjan has around fifteen significant malls and galleries, and many family-owned property companies. Management is still mostly in spreadsheets, a pattern also common among mid-sized landlords in Dubai and London.
| Criterion | Excel | International property management software | Custom software |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | FCFA 0 | FCFA 20,000,000 to 60,000,000 (EUR 30,000-91,000, licences and integration) | FCFA 15,000,000 to 30,000,000 (EUR 23,000-46,000) |
| Annual cost | Property manager time | 15 to 20% of licences, i.e. FCFA 3,000,000 to 12,000,000 | FCFA 1,800,000 to 4,200,000 |
| Lease and deadline management | Manual, risk of oversight | Complete | Complete, alerts 6 months ahead |
| Rent indexation | Calculated by hand | European indices by default | Local clauses and contractual indexation |
| Turnover rents | Paper declarations | Yes | Yes, monthly online declaration by the tenant |
| Mobile money, card, transfer | No | Rarely | Yes, automatic reconciliation |
| Arrears reminders | Manual | Automatic by email | SMS, WhatsApp, email, formal notice |
| Go-live time | Immediate | 6 to 12 months | 4 to 6 months |
In West Africa, custom is also the option that best fits the OHADA Uniform Act on General Commercial Law, which governs professional leases (term, renewal, three-yearly review).
The scope of mall management software
| Module | Functions | Share of budget | Expected gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leases and tenants | Tenant records, areas, deadlines, guarantees, documents | 15% | No missed renewal |
| Rent and service charge calls | Monthly or quarterly billing, VAT (18% in Côte d'Ivoire, 5% in the UAE, 20% in the UK), provisions | 20% | 2 to 3 fewer working days a month |
| Turnover rents | Sales declarations, top-up calculation, checks | 15% | 3 to 8% of turnover rent recovered |
| Collections | Mobile money, card, transfer, bank reconciliation | 18% | Payment time cut by 10 to 20 days |
| Reminders and disputes | Scenarios at D+5, D+15, D+30, history, lawyer export | 17% | Arrears reduced by 30 to 40% |
| Reporting | Footfall, occupancy rate, yield per unit | 15% | Data-backed leasing decisions |
The turnover rent module is often the most profitable: without checks, tenants frequently under-declare sales. Cross-checking with footfall and ratios per brand highlights the gaps.
Mini case study
Mrs Kouassi runs a shopping gallery in Abidjan: 85 units, 4,200 m² of lettable area, annual billing of FCFA 1,020,000,000 (about EUR 1.55 million). Arrears reach 11%, or FCFA 112,200,000, a third of which ends up as a loss. Two property managers spend 60% of their time on Excel and reminders.
The custom software is quoted at FCFA 24,000,000 (EUR 36,600), plus FCFA 3,000,000 a year. Target: 40% fewer arrears, i.e. FCFA 44,880,000 collected sooner, including about FCFA 15,000,000 of losses avoided each year. Add 4% of turnover rent recovered on FCFA 180,000,000 of turnover rents, i.e. FCFA 7,200,000. Estimated annual net gain: FCFA 19,200,000 (about EUR 29,300), plus freed-up cash. Payback: around 15 months, faster if cash flow is valued. 2026 order of magnitude.
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FAQ
Can tenants pay with mobile money?
Yes, every rent call includes a mobile payment link (Wave, Orange Money, MTN MoMo) or a card link for international tenants. Merchant fees are around 1%, and reconciliation is automatic within the hour.
Does the software handle VAT and compliant receipts?
It applies the local VAT rate (18% in Côte d'Ivoire) to taxable commercial rents and produces numbered receipts. The accounting export is SYSCOHADA compatible, or IFRS for international groups.
How long to import our existing leases?
For 85 to 200 leases, entry and verification take 3 to 5 weeks, with a cross-check against the last 12 months of billing.
Can we track mall footfall?
Yes, the software imports data from entrance counters or Wi-Fi. A counter costs around FCFA 400,000 to 900,000 (EUR 600-1,400) per entrance.
Where is the data hosted?
In Côte d'Ivoire or a regional cloud, with a filing to ARTCI under law 2013-450 on personal data protection. For Dubai or London projects, hosting follows local rules (UAE PDPL, UK GDPR).
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of units, billing and arrears rate: we price the scope, budget and a 4 to 6 month plan. 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.
