The verdict in three sentences
A custom TMS for a Senegalese carrier costs between 5,000,000 and 14,000,000 FCFA in 2026, with a 4 to 6 month timeline. The real lever is not the price but the kilometer savings: route optimization cuts the fuel bill by 8 to 15% from year one. A fleet of 15 vehicles pays back the project in 12 to 18 months through fuel, avoided disputes and recovered planning time.
What a TMS contains and what it costs
A TMS is not just GPS. It is the nervous system of your operation: it plans routes, assigns vehicles, tracks deliveries and feeds billing. The price depends directly on the modules chosen.
| TMS module | Function | Indicative 2026 cost (FCFA) |
|---|---|---|
| Operations core | Transport orders, assignment, dashboard | 2,500,000 |
| Route optimization | Multi-stop calculation, time windows | 2,000,000 to 3,500,000 |
| Fleet tracking | Real-time tracking, geofencing | 1,500,000 to 2,500,000 |
| Proof of delivery (ePOD) | Mobile signature, photo, scan | 1,200,000 to 2,000,000 |
| Customer portal | Parcel tracking, SMS notifications | 1,000,000 to 1,800,000 |
| Accounting integration | Auto invoicing, export | 800,000 to 1,500,000 |
A Starter project (core + ePOD) starts around 5,000,000 FCFA. A full project with optimization, tracking and customer portal reaches 12,000,000 to 14,000,000 FCFA. Annual maintenance then represents 15 to 20% of the initial cost.
Fuel savings, the real math
Fuel is the top variable cost for a carrier. Cutting empty kilometers and optimizing stop order has a direct, measurable impact.
| Fleet size | Current km/year | Savings at 10% | Fuel gain/year (FCFA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 vehicles | 300,000 | 30,000 km | 4,500,000 |
| 10 vehicles | 600,000 | 60,000 km | 9,000,000 |
| 15 vehicles | 900,000 | 90,000 km | 13,500,000 |
| 25 vehicles | 1,500,000 | 150,000 km | 22,500,000 |
Assumption: average consumption and diesel around 755 FCFA/liter in Dakar in 2026 (order of magnitude). On top of this come delivery disputes avoided thanks to ePOD and planning time cut in half.
Mini case study
Ousmane, operations director of a courier company in Dakar, runs 15 trucks and spends about 90,000,000 FCFA on fuel per year. He invests 11,000,000 FCFA in a full TMS (core + optimization + tracking + ePOD). In the first year, optimization cuts km by 11%, saving 9,900,000 FCFA on fuel. Adding 2,000,000 FCFA of avoided disputes and 3,000,000 FCFA of recovered planning time, total gain reaches 14,900,000 FCFA. The project pays back in under 11 months.
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FAQ
How long does a TMS deployment take?
Expect 4 to 6 months from scoping to production. The route optimization module and accounting integration take the longest to tune, because they depend on your real constraints and chart of accounts.
Wouldn't an off-the-shelf TMS be cheaper?
International SaaS TMS cost 15,000 to 40,000 FCFA per vehicle per month, i.e. 2,700,000 to 7,200,000 FCFA/year for 15 vehicles, without ever fitting your local routes or handling Wave/Orange Money. Custom becomes profitable from 10 vehicles.
Is electronic proof of delivery reliable without good connectivity?
Yes. A well-designed ePOD app works offline: signature, photo and scan are stored on the phone then synced when the network returns. This is essential on routes outside Dakar.
Can we start small and expand?
Absolutely. Most clients start with core + ePOD (around 5,000,000 FCFA) then add optimization once route data is reliable. The modular architecture avoids repaying for everything.
Does fleet tracking really reduce fuel theft?
Geofencing and abnormal-stop alerts detect detours and siphoning. Our clients see a 3 to 6% drop in unexplained fuel discrepancies in the first year.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your fleet size, delivery zones and target budget: we scope a TMS at your scale, from a 5,000,000 FCFA core to a full platform. 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.
