The verdict in three sentences
For a utility concession with 150,000 customers and 22% of accounts more than 90 days overdue, a collections tracking platform costs 35 to 80 million FCFA excl. tax (EUR 53,400 to 122,000) and rolls out in six months. Its return rests on three levers: SMS reminders with a mobile money payment link, instalment plans tracked automatically and a meter reader mobile app that collects and reports in the field. A target of 5 to 8 points fewer arrears within a year means several hundred million FCFA recovered, several times the project cost.
The platform budget in 2026
The existing billing system stays in place: the platform connects to it, consolidates arrears data and drives actions. Here is a 2026 order-of-magnitude breakdown for a concession in Abidjan.
| Work package | Scope | 2026 range (FCFA excl. tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | Finance, branch and field workshops, mock-ups | 2,000,000 - 4,000,000 |
| Billing system integration | Customers, invoices, payments, daily refresh | 5,000,000 - 12,000,000 |
| Arrears dashboard | By branch, meter round, ageing bucket, segment | 6,000,000 - 14,000,000 |
| Reminder engine | Scheduled SMS and WhatsApp, payment link, scenarios | 5,000,000 - 12,000,000 |
| Instalment plans | Simulation, signed agreement, due date tracking | 4,000,000 - 10,000,000 |
| Meter reader mobile app | Offline, readings, cash collection, reporting, disconnections | 8,000,000 - 18,000,000 |
| Mobile money payments | Wave, Orange Money, MTN MoMo, Moov Money | 3,000,000 - 6,000,000 |
| Testing and training | QA, branch and field staff training | 2,000,000 - 4,000,000 |
| Total | 35,000,000 - 80,000,000 (EUR 53,400 - 122,000) |
Billing system integration is the package that moves the price: a database exposed through an API or reliable exports costs half as much as a legacy system whose data must be extracted every night. For operations, budget a market order of magnitude of 6 to 10 million FCFA (EUR 9,100 to 15,200) a year for hosting and maintenance, excluding SMS costs.
Which reminder channel for which customer
The gain comes from the right action at the right time, not mass messaging. The costs and rates below are 2026 estimates observed among service operators in Côte d'Ivoire.
| Channel | Estimated unit cost | Paid within 7 days | Recommended use |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMS with payment link | 15 - 25 FCFA | 8 to 12% | 1 to 30 days overdue |
| WhatsApp message | 20 - 60 FCFA | 12 to 18% | 15 to 60 days overdue |
| Contact centre call | 300 - 600 FCFA | 15 to 20% | Large consumers, businesses |
| Agent visit with collection | 1,500 - 3,000 FCFA | 35 to 50% | Over 60 days overdue |
| Instalment plan offer | 500 - 1,000 FCFA (handling) | 40 to 60% of agreements honoured | Arrears above 50,000 FCFA |
| Disconnection notice | 2,000 - 4,000 FCFA (field visit) | 25 to 40% | Last resort, regulated |
The platform picks the channel based on ageing, amount and customer history, and measures each scenario's result branch by branch.
Realistic 12-month targets
| Indicator | Starting point | 12-month target |
|---|---|---|
| Customers more than 90 days overdue | 22% | 14 to 17% |
| Days sales outstanding (DSO) | 95 days | 65 to 75 days |
| Share of mobile money payments | 30% | 45 to 55% |
| Collection rounds | No prioritisation | 100% prioritised by amount |
| Instalment plans | Tracked on paper | Due dates reminded automatically |
| Management visibility | Monthly report | Daily dashboard by branch |
Mini case study
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Daniel, CFO in London of an infrastructure group running a 150,000-customer concession in Abidjan, counts 33,000 accounts more than 90 days overdue with average arrears of 45,000 FCFA, or 1.485 billion FCFA (EUR 2.26 million) outstanding. He chooses a platform at 55 million FCFA (EUR 83,800), with 8 million FCFA of running costs and 28.8 million FCFA of SMS a year (40,000 accounts x 3 SMS a month x 20 FCFA). First-year cost: 91.8 million FCFA (EUR 139,900). A 6-point gain means 9,000 accounts brought up to date, or 405 million FCFA (EUR 617,400) recovered: more than four times the year's spend.
FAQ
Do we need to replace our billing software?
No. The platform reads billing and payment data, then drives collection actions. Integration costs 5 to 12 million FCFA excl. tax depending on data access.
Can meter readers work without signal?
Yes, the app works offline: readings, cash collection, meter photo, fraud reports. Data syncs as soon as the network returns, which is essential in Abidjan's outer districts.
How do Wave and Orange Money fit into reminders?
Each SMS carries a pre-filled payment link with the customer reference. Payment is matched to the invoice automatically, with no manual entry at the branch.
How soon do results show?
SMS reminders produce effects from the first month. The 5 to 8-point gain on 90-day arrears is measured at 9 and 12 months.
Is customer data protected?
The platform must comply with Ivorian personal data law, including declaration to the ARTCI regulator, role-based access and an action log. This is built in from design.
Let's scope your project. Send us your customer count, arrears rate and billing system: we will scope the perimeter, indicative budget in FCFA and EUR, and a six-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.
