At a glance
- Simple app
- ₦4M – ₦10M
- Mid-size app
- ₦10M – ₦30M
- Complex platform
- ₦30M+
- Typical timeline
- 8–16 weeks
It is the first question almost every founder asks us, and the honest answer is "it depends". This guide explains what it depends on, with real ranges from projects in Lagos and across Nigeria, so you can plan before you speak to any developer.
The short answer: three price bands
Most apps fall into one of three bands. Prices below are for a cross-platform app (iOS and Android from one codebase) built by an experienced Nigerian team, including design, backend and launch.
| Type | Example | Typical cost | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | Booking, catalogue or information app | ₦4M – ₦10M | 6–8 weeks |
| Mid-size | Marketplace, delivery or loyalty app | ₦10M – ₦30M | 10–14 weeks |
| Complex | Fintech wallet, multi-sided platform | ₦30M+ | 16+ weeks |
What actually drives the cost
- Number of user types: a customer app alone costs less than customer, rider and admin apps together.
- Payments and wallets: integrating Paystack or Flutterwave is quick; building a licensed wallet is not.
- Offline support: apps that must work without signal need extra engineering for sync.
- Integrations: every external system (banks, logistics, government APIs) adds time.
- Security and compliance: fintech and health apps need extra testing and NDPA 2023 safeguards.
Tip: start with an MVP
Launch the smallest version that proves people want your product. Most of our clients spend 30–40% less by shipping an MVP first and adding features based on real usage.
Agency, freelancer or in-house team?
| Option | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | Small, well-defined apps | Single point of failure; limited design and QA |
| Agency | Most first products | Choose one that shows real case studies |
| In-house team | Long-term, core products | Hiring takes months; high fixed cost |
Planning an app?
Get a free estimate in one call. We will tell you which band your idea falls into and how to keep the cost down.
Hidden costs to budget for
- Hosting and servers: usually ₦50k – ₦500k a month depending on usage.
- App store fees: $99 a year for Apple, a one-time $25 for Google.
- Maintenance: plan for 15–20% of the build cost every year for updates and fixes.
A good partner will show you these numbers upfront. If a quote looks too good to be true, ask what is not included.
Written by
Emeka Nwosu
Founder & CEO, Kingstown Technologies