The verdict in three sentences
A maintenance contract protects your investment: security updates, automatic backups, and monitored uptime. In 2026, a serious plan costs between 50,000 and 200,000 FCFA/month, a fraction of the price of a hacked or offline site during peak season. The real risk isn't paying for maintenance — it's not paying for it.
What each plan covers (and doesn't)
Many clients assume a contract "covers everything." In reality, scope varies widely. Here are the three standard plans we offer in 2026.
| Service | Essential 50,000/mo | Standard 100,000/mo | Premium 200,000/mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Security updates (CMS, plugins) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Automatic backups | Weekly | Daily | Daily + offsite |
| Uptime monitoring | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ real-time |
| Included edit hours | 0h | 2h/month | 5h/month |
| Performance monitoring | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ + optimizations |
| Monthly report | ❌ | Summary | Detailed + recommendations |
| Priority support | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Response SLA | 48 business h | 24h | 4h |
The most important line is the response SLA: if your site goes down on a Friday night before a high-traffic weekend, the gap between 48h and 4h is measured in lost orders.
The real cost of an UNMAINTAINED site
A neglected site isn't "free": it builds invisible technical debt until the incident hits. Here are 2026 ballpark figures for the losses a contract prevents.
| Incident | 1-year probability without maintenance | Average repair cost |
|---|---|---|
| Hack (outdated plugin) | High | 300,000 – 800,000 FCFA |
| Site offline > 24h | Medium | 150,000 FCFA + lost sales |
| Data loss (no backup) | Medium | 400,000 – 1,200,000 FCFA |
| SEO drop (slow/broken site) | High | 3-6 months of lost traffic |
| Broken contact form | Very high | Leads lost silently |
Add it up: a single hack often exceeds the annual cost of the Standard plan (1,200,000 FCFA/year). Maintenance is insurance, not a comfort expense.
Mini case study
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Awa, who runs a cosmetics shop in Dakar, declines maintenance to "save 100,000 FCFA/month." Eight months later, an un-updated plugin opens a breach: her site redirects to a spam page for 5 days before she notices. Cleanup and restoration bill: 550,000 FCFA, plus a Google ranking drop that takes 4 months to recover. Real cost of her "savings": over 800,000 FCFA, versus 1,200,000 FCFA/year for a contract that would have prevented it all — and, more importantly, weeks of stress and customers who could no longer find her shop.
FAQ
Is maintenance mandatory?
It's not legally required, but technically almost essential: a CMS-based site receives security patches continuously. Without maintenance, every passing month widens the attack surface.
Can I maintain the site myself?
Yes for content updates, no for server security and offsite backups. A botched update can break the site; the time spent fixing it quickly exceeds the 50,000 FCFA/month of an Essential plan.
What happens if I cancel?
You keep your access and your site, but you take back responsibility for updates. We then recommend a security audit (around 75,000 FCFA) to start from a clean base.
Does maintenance include new features?
Small edits (2h in Standard, 5h in Premium) are included. A new module or a redesign is quoted separately, because that's development, not maintenance.
Let's talk about your project. We'll audit your current site and recommend the maintenance plan that fits your traffic and budget. 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.
