The verdict in three sentences
An e-commerce budget lives as much in operations as in construction. In 2026 the build costs 1-4M FCFA, but the recurring bill (hosting, ads, payment fees, SEO, delivery) often exceeds the build in year one. The only number that matters is the total cost of ownership (TCO) over 12 months measured against your margin per order.
Breaking down the initial build
Starting cost depends on the chosen tier. Here are 2026 ranges for a functional store with mobile money payment.
| Item | Starter | Growth | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Site development | 1,000,000 | 2,000,000 | 4,000,000 |
| Payment integration | included | included | included |
| Design / photos | 150,000 | 300,000 | 600,000 |
| Admin training | included | 100,000 | 150,000 |
| Total build (FCFA) | ~1,150,000 | ~2,400,000 | ~4,750,000 |
The recurring bill over 12 months
This is where budgets slip if unplanned. Payment fees scale with revenue (1-2%); the rest is monthly.
| Recurring item | Monthly | 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| Managed hosting | 25,000 - 75,000 | 300,000 - 900,000 |
| Meta/Google ads | 65,000 - 200,000 | 780,000 - 2,400,000 |
| Payment fees (1-2% rev.) | variable | ~2% of revenue |
| SEO / content | 75,000 - 300,000 | 900,000 - 3,600,000 |
| Delivery / logistics | variable | by volume |
| Maintenance | 50,000 - 200,000 | 600,000 - 2,400,000 |
In a realistic Growth scenario, 12-month recurring easily reaches 3-5M FCFA — more than the build.
Mini case study
Kwame launches an online grocery in Accra. Growth build: 2,400,000 FCFA. Year-1 recurring: hosting 50,000, ads 120,000, maintenance 80,000 = 250,000 FCFA/month before payment fees, i.e. 3,000,000 FCFA/year. Targeting 1,500,000 FCFA/month revenue at 25% margin (375,000 FCFA), he covers monthly recurring and reaches his overall break-even around month 11.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
What is the minimum budget to start seriously?
Budget the build (1-4M FCFA) plus at least 250,000 FCFA/month of operations. Without ad spend, even a beautiful site generates no sales.
How much do payment fees really weigh?
Between 1 and 2% of revenue by rail (Wave ~1%, OM 1.5-2%). On 1.5M FCFA monthly revenue, that's 15,000-30,000 FCFA/month.
Can recurring costs be reduced?
Yes: shared hosting at first, SEO over all-ads, and in-house content. But don't cut ads too early.
When do you reach profitability?
Depending on margin and ad budget, break-even often lands between months 8 and 14 for a well-run project.
Is the cheapest build the most profitable?
Not necessarily: a poorly optimized Starter can cost more in payment fees and wasted ads than a Growth built for conversion.
Let's talk about your project. We quote your full 12-month TCO, not just the build. 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.
