The verdict in three sentences
The real cost of an online store includes far more than initial development: hosting, payment fees, SMS, maintenance and advertising. In Accra in 2026, an e-commerce built at 1,500,000 FCFA comes to about 4,300,000 FCFA in the first year all-in. Break-even sits around 8,000,000 FCFA of revenue.
The cost breakdown over 12 months
Most project owners look only at the dev price. Here is the full budget for Accra in 2026 (order of magnitude).
| Item | Unit amount | Year 1 total (FCFA) |
|---|---|---|
| Development (one-off) | 1,500,000 | 1,500,000 |
| Managed hosting | 45,000 / month | 540,000 |
| Maintenance | 100,000 / month | 1,200,000 |
| Advertising (ads) | 150,000 / month | 1,800,000 |
| Wave/OM payment fees | 1.5% of revenue | variable |
| Transactional SMS | 20 FCFA / SMS | variable |
Excluding ads, the recurring base (hosting + maintenance) already represents 1,740,000 FCFA per year. Advertising is optional but nearly essential to generate traffic in year one.
The variable fees people forget
| Variable fee | Basis | Example at 200 orders/month |
|---|---|---|
| Payment fees | 1.5% of revenue | 90,000 FCFA (revenue 6M) |
| Confirmation SMS | 20 FCFA x 2 / order | 8,000 FCFA |
| Packaging / logistics | per product | variable |
| Refunds / disputes | ~1% of orders | 2-3 orders |
These variable fees grow with success: the more you sell, the higher payment and SMS fees climb. That's good news, but they must be provisioned in the margin.
Kolonell referral program
Do you help a merchant understand the true budget of e-commerce and they sign? Become a Kolonell business referrer and earn your commission.
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| Segment | Sale commission | Recurring |
|---|---|---|
| Showcase site | 15% | 5% |
| E-commerce | 12% | 5% |
| Marketplace | 10% | — |
| Institutional | 8% | — |
On an e-commerce at 1,500,000 FCFA, the referrer earns 180,000 FCFA, plus 5% of the 1,200,000 FCFA annual maintenance, i.e. 60,000 FCFA recurring.
Mini case study
Koffi, an electronics seller in Accra, launches his store. Dev 1,500,000 FCFA. He targets 200 orders/month at 30,000 FCFA average basket, i.e. 6,000,000 FCFA monthly revenue. His annual costs: 540,000 (hosting) + 1,200,000 (maintenance) + 1,800,000 (ads) + 1,080,000 (payment fees 1.5% on 72M annual revenue) = 4,620,000 FCFA of charges excluding dev. With a 25% margin, his 72M annual revenue yields 18M margin: he is comfortably profitable by the third month.
FAQ
Is the dev price the main cost? No, over three years recurring fees exceed dev. Hosting and maintenance alone total 1,740,000 FCFA per year, versus 1,500,000 once for dev.
How much are payment fees? Expect about 1.5% of revenue collected via Wave and Orange Money. On 6,000,000 FCFA monthly revenue, that's 90,000 FCFA.
Are SMS really a cost? Yes, at 20 FCFA per confirmation SMS, with two SMS per order across 200 orders, that's 8,000 FCFA per month. Marginal but real.
What is break-even? Around 8,000,000 FCFA of annual revenue to cover amortized dev and charges. Beyond that, each sale contributes to margin.
Can hidden fees be reduced? Yes, by negotiating hosting, limiting ads at launch and batching SMS. But cutting maintenance is risky for security.
Let's talk about your project. We'll price your total one-year cost, hidden fees included, before you commit. 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.
