More Lagos and Nigerian SMEs want to sell online, but many start with the wrong expectations about ecommerce website cost and what’s really needed to succeed. Some under‑budget and end up with a half‑finished store that doesn’t convert; others overspend on fancy features they don’t use.
In this guide, we’ll cover:
- The main factors that influence ecommerce website cost for Lagos SMEs.
- Typical price ranges in Nigeria for different levels of online stores.
- The most common mistakes businesses make when going online.
- How to budget wisely and get an ecommerce site that actually brings sales.
What really affects ecommerce website cost?
There’s no single fixed price, because several factors drive the cost up or down for Nigerian SMEs.
Key cost drivers:
- Platform and technology stack
- Using a platform like WooCommerce on WordPress or Shopify is usually more affordable than a full custom build for most SMEs.
- Custom development, special integrations or multi‑vendor features quickly increase cost.
- Design and customization level
- Basic template‑based designs are cheaper, but may limit flexibility.
- Custom designs that match your brand, improve UX and conversion cost more but often pay off in higher sales.
- Number of products and complexity
- A store with 20–50 products is simpler than one with hundreds of SKUs, variations, complex pricing or multiple categories.
- More products mean more time for setup, descriptions, images and testing.
- Payment, shipping and local integrations
- Integrating Nigerian payment gateways, local delivery options and tax rules adds complexity but is essential for real‑world use.
- Custom invoicing or ERP/warehouse integrations add to the budget.
- Content and marketing readiness
- If the client has product photos, descriptions and policies ready, it’s faster and cheaper.
- If the agency must help with copywriting, photography and marketing setup, cost increases.
Typical ecommerce website cost ranges for Lagos SMEs
Various Nigerian guides show that professional ecommerce sites for SMEs can range from low hundreds of thousands to several million naira, depending on features and scale.
You might not want to lock exact numbers on your blog, but you can give approximate bands:
- Starter ecommerce for micro/small businesses
- Simple store with a few products, basic design, standard checkout, local payment integration.
- Rough ballpark in Nigeria: entry‑level professional builds often start from the mid hundreds of thousands of naira and go up as features and products increase.
- Growth ecommerce for SMEs
- Customised design, multiple categories, better UX, stronger product pages, basic marketing integrations (email, pixel tracking).
- Nigerian guides place many of these builds in the mid to higher hundreds of thousands and up, depending on size and complexity.
- Advanced / custom ecommerce
- Marketplace features, multi‑vendor setups, advanced integrations, complex rules.
- These can climb into multi‑million naira budgets and require ongoing development retainers.
What Lagos SMEs often get wrong when going online
Here’s the key part of your video/blog: mistakes you see and how you help fix them.
Mistake 1: Focusing only on build cost, not total cost
Many SMEs only ask “How much to build the site?” and forget about ongoing maintenance, updates, and marketing.
Better approach:
- Budget for:
- Build/setup.
- Monthly maintenance (hosting, updates, security, support).
- Marketing (ads, content, email, SEO).
- Offer a simple rule of thumb: treat the initial build as the “setup fee” and commit a smaller monthly budget to keep the store healthy and growing.
Mistake 2: Underestimating content and product work
Some SMEs expect the developer to “just upload everything and write descriptions” as part of a low build fee.
Better approach:
- Understand that good product photos, clear descriptions, size/colour options, and policies (shipping, returns) take time to create.
- Either prepare content in advance or include content support as a clear paid line in the project.
Mistake 3: Ignoring user experience and conversion
It’s common to see Nigerian ecommerce sites with cluttered homepages, hidden filters, and confusing checkout flows, which reduces orders even if traffic is good.
Better approach:
- Keep navigation simple and product discovery easy.
- Make “Add to Cart” and “Checkout” buttons obvious and consistent.
- Remove unnecessary steps in the checkout process and show trust elements (reviews, payment security, delivery info).
Mistake 4: Copying big sites without their budget
Some SMEs try to imitate large e‑commerce players with advanced features but don’t have the traffic, budget or team to maintain them.
Better approach:
- Start simple with a clean, fast store that works well on mobile.
- Focus on strong product pages and a smooth checkout before adding complex features.
- Add new features gradually based on data and real customer needs.
Mistake 5: Launching and then “forgetting” the site
After launch, many shops are left alone: no updates, no speed checks, no marketing or experimentation.
Better approach:
- Plan regular updates: new products, promotions, blog posts, and UX improvements.
- Use analytics and basic conversion tracking to see which pages/products perform best.
- Consider a maintenance/optimisation plan with monthly reviews.
How to budget smartly for your ecommerce website
Give SMEs a practical budgeting framework.
Step 1: Define your goals clearly
- Target monthly online sales.
- Product range and any special rules.
Step 2: Separate one‑time and monthly costs
- One‑time: design and development, initial setup, content migration.
- Monthly: hosting, payment fees, maintenance, marketing.
Step 3: Decide what to start with now vs later
- Must‑have features for launch.
- Nice‑to‑have features you can add after the store starts making money.
Step 4: Talk to a specialist
- Encourage them to have a short consultation or audit before deciding.
- Explain that you can review their idea, estimate cost ranges and suggest a phased plan.
How we help Lagos SMEs go online the right way
Our process in 3–4 steps:
- Discovery & costing – Understand the business, products, goals and budget; suggest suitable platforms and a realistic cost range.
- Design & build – Create a conversion‑focused design, set up products, payment, shipping and basic marketing pixels.
- Launch & optimisation – Test checkout flow, speed and mobile experience; fix issues before and after launch.
- Maintenance & growth – Offer ongoing care plans for updates, security, small changes and regular conversion improvements.
Next steps – get clarity before you invest
If you’re a Lagos or Nigerian SME planning to launch or rebuild an ecommerce website, it’s better to get the numbers and strategy right from the start. I offer a structured Ecommerce Website Review where we look at your goals, required features and budget, then outline a realistic plan and cost range.
To request a review, visit defaithconcept.com.ng/contact or send me your website idea.
