Typical Range: ₦1.8M - ₦9M for a complete MVP
Monthly Operating Costs: ₦150K - ₦500K (hosting, maintenance, integrations)
These prices are based on working with professional agencies in Lagos. Scroll down for detailed breakdowns, comparisons, and hidden costs to watch for.
If you're a Nigerian founder planning to build an MVP, understanding the true cost is crucial for budgeting, fundraising, and timeline planning. But finding transparent pricing information is frustratingly difficult—most agencies hide their rates behind "contact us" forms.
This comprehensive guide reveals real MVP development costs in Lagos and Nigeria, based on Musskart Technology Limited's experience delivering 250+ projects. We'll show you exactly what you'll pay, what affects the price, and how to avoid costly mistakes.
No vague estimates. No hidden agendas. Just transparent, actionable pricing data.
MVP costs aren't arbitrary—they're determined by specific, measurable factors. Understanding these helps you budget accurately and avoid surprises.
Rule of Thumb: Each additional feature adds ₦200K - ₦500K depending on complexity.
Each integration adds to development cost:
The "₦500K MVP" Myth: You might see ads claiming "Build your MVP for ₦500K." Here's the truth:
Reality: A production-ready MVP with custom features, proper testing, and professional support costs ₦1.8M minimum in Nigeria. Anything cheaper is either incomplete or low-quality.
Let's break down what you're actually paying for when you build an MVP.
| Component | Low-End | Mid-Range | High-End | What You Get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Project Discovery | ₦150K | ₦300K | ₦600K | Requirements gathering, competitor analysis, feature prioritization, technical architecture |
| UI/UX Design | ₦200K | ₦600K | ₦1.5M | Wireframes, mockups, prototype, design system, user flows |
| Frontend Development | ₦600K | ₦1.5M | ₦3.5M | All user-facing screens, interactions, animations |
| Backend Development | ₦500K | ₦1.5M | ₦3M | APIs, database, business logic, server setup |
| Quality Assurance | ₦150K | ₦400K | ₦800K | Testing, bug fixes, device compatibility |
| Project Management | ₦200K | ₦450K | ₦900K | Coordination, communication, timeline management |
| Deployment & Setup | ₦100K | ₦250K | ₦500K | Server configuration, app store submission, DNS setup |
| Documentation | ₦50K | ₦150K | ₦300K | Technical docs, API documentation, user guides |
| TOTAL COST | ₦1.95M | ₦5.15M | ₦11.1M | Complete, production-ready MVP |
Here are actual cost ranges for common MVP types in Nigeria, based on Musskart's project data.
Examples: Todo app, fitness tracker, note-taking app
Timeline: 4-6 weeks
Examples: Online store, marketplace, retail app
Timeline: 8-10 weeks
Examples: Digital wallet, savings app, payment platform
Timeline: 10-14 weeks
Examples: Ride-hailing, food delivery, home services
Timeline: 10-12 weeks
Examples: Community app, dating app, networking platform
Timeline: 8-11 weeks
Examples: SaaS platform, booking system, dashboard
Timeline: 6-9 weeks
Let's deep-dive into one popular MVP type: an e-commerce marketplace (think mini Jumia or Jiji).
| Feature/Component | Cost | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Product catalog with search/filter | ₦600K | 2 weeks |
| User authentication (buyer + seller) | ₦350K | 1 week |
| Shopping cart & checkout | ₦450K | 1.5 weeks |
| Payment integration (Paystack) | ₦250K | 1 week |
| Order management system | ₦700K | 2 weeks |
| Seller dashboard | ₦600K | 1.5 weeks |
| Admin panel | ₦800K | 2 weeks |
| Push notifications | ₦200K | 0.5 weeks |
| UI/UX Design | ₦700K | 2 weeks |
| QA Testing | ₦400K | 1.5 weeks |
| Project Management | ₦450K | Ongoing |
| TOTAL | ₦5.5M | 10 weeks |
You have three main options for building your MVP. Each has different cost structures and trade-offs.
| Factor | Freelancers | Agency (like Musskart) | In-House Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront Cost | ₦1M - ₦3M | ₦2.5M - ₦7M | ₦5M - ₦15M+ |
| Hourly Rate | ₦5K - ₦12K/hr | ₦12K - ₦20K/hr (bundled) | ₦250K - ₦600K/month per person |
| Timeline | 10-16 weeks | 6-10 weeks | 12-24 weeks |
| Quality Control | Varies greatly | Guaranteed | High (if good team) |
| Project Management | You handle it | Included | You handle it |
| Risk Level | High (abandonment risk) | Low | Medium (turnover risk) |
| Post-Launch Support | Usually none | 30 days included | Ongoing |
| Scalability | Difficult | Easy (ongoing support available) | Easy |
Total Freelancer Cost: ₦3.34M - ₦10.7M (depending on experience level)
Salaries (Lagos Market Rates):
Total Salary Cost: ₦16.6M - ₦33.2M for first year
For First-Time Founders: Agency (like Musskart) is the optimal choice
When to Build In-House: After you've validated product-market fit with an agency-built MVP and raised Series A funding (₦50M+). At that point, you can afford the ₦20M+ annual cost of a development team.
The development cost is just one part. Here are the costs that catch founders off-guard:
| Service | Monthly Cost | Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud Hosting (AWS/Google Cloud) | ₦30K - ₦150K | ₦360K - ₦1.8M |
| Domain Name | ₦1K - ₦3K | ₦12K - ₦36K |
| SSL Certificate | ₦0 - ₦5K | ₦0 - ₦60K (Let's Encrypt is free) |
| Payment Gateway Fees | 1.5% - 2% of revenue | Variable |
| SMS/OTP Services (Termii) | ₦10K - ₦50K | ₦120K - ₦600K |
| Push Notification Service | ₦0 - ₦20K | ₦0 - ₦240K (Firebase free tier) |
| Analytics Tools | ₦0 - ₦30K | ₦0 - ₦360K (free tiers available) |
| Email Service (SendGrid) | ₦0 - ₦25K | ₦0 - ₦300K |
| Database Backups | ₦10K - ₦30K | ₦120K - ₦360K |
| Bug Fixes & Maintenance | ₦100K - ₦300K | ₦1.2M - ₦3.6M |
| App Store Fees | ₦0 (one-time $99/year for iOS) | $99 (~₦150K) |
| TOTAL MONTHLY | ₦150K - ₦600K | ₦1.8M - ₦7.2M |
Reserve 30-40% of your development budget for operating costs in the first year.
Example: If your MVP costs ₦5M to build, budget ₦1.5M - ₦2M for year-one operations.
Timeline and cost are directly related. Understanding this helps you plan realistically.
| Timeline | Cost Impact | Feasibility | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-3 Weeks (Rush) | +40-60% premium | Only for very simple MVPs | Team works overtime, quality may suffer |
| 4-6 Weeks (Fast Track) | +20-30% premium | Realistic for simple-moderate MVPs | Requires clear requirements upfront |
| 6-10 Weeks (Standard) | Baseline cost | Ideal for most MVPs | Balanced approach, best quality/cost ratio |
| 10-16 Weeks (Extended) | Same or +10% | Complex MVPs or part-time team | More thorough testing, refinement |
| 16+ Weeks (Too Long) | +20-40% (scope creep) | Not recommended for MVP | Likely overbuilding, should launch sooner |
Agencies charge premiums for rushed projects because:
Musskart Recommendation: Plan for 8-10 weeks for most MVPs. This timeline delivers the best quality-to-cost ratio without rushing.
Smart cost reduction isn't about going cheap—it's about eliminating waste and prioritizing effectively.
The Problem: Most MVPs are overbuilt with features users don't need.
The Solution: Use the MoSCoW method to cut non-essential features. Build only "Must Have" features for v1.0.
Real Example: A Lagos e-commerce startup wanted 18 features. We helped them identify 6 core features. Reduced cost from ₦7.2M to ₦4.5M (38% savings).
The Problem: Building native iOS and Android apps separately doubles development cost.
The Solution: Use Flutter or React Native for 95% code reuse.
Real Example: Native iOS + Android quote: ₦8M. Cross-platform (Flutter) quote: ₦4.8M. Saved ₦3.2M (40%).
The Problem: Building for all platforms simultaneously is expensive.
The Solution: Launch mobile-only (for consumer apps) or web-only (for B2B) first. Add other platforms after validation.
Real Example: Mobile + Web: ₦7.5M. Mobile-only first: ₦4.2M. Saved ₦3.3M initially.
The Problem: Custom design from scratch is expensive.
The Solution: Start with Material Design or curated templates. Add custom branding in v2.0.
Savings: Custom design: ₦1.2M. Template-based: ₦400K. Saved ₦800K.
The Problem: Building custom solutions for payments, SMS, etc. is expensive.
The Solution: Use Paystack, Termii, Firebase—pre-built, reliable integrations.
Example: Custom payment system: ₦1.5M + 8 weeks. Paystack integration: ₦250K + 1 week.
The Problem: Building a comprehensive admin panel adds significant cost.
The Solution: Manage data directly in database for first 100-500 users. Build admin panel in v2.0.
Savings: Admin dashboard: ₦800K - ₦1.5M. Direct database management: ₦0.
The Problem: Custom backend development is time-consuming and expensive.
The Solution: For simple CRUD apps, Firebase provides authentication, database, and hosting.
Savings: Custom backend: ₦1.5M - ₦2M. Firebase: ₦300K - ₦500K integration.
The Problem: Automating everything upfront is expensive.
The Solution: Handle some processes manually initially (e.g., customer verification, order fulfillment coordination).
Example: Automated KYC: ₦1.2M. Manual verification (first 500 users): ₦0 development cost.
The Problem: Complex animations increase development time.
The Solution: Use simple transitions for MVP. Add polish in v2.0 after validation.
Savings: ~₦300K - ₦600K on development time.
The Problem: Freelancers seem cheaper but total cost is often higher due to delays, rework, and coordination overhead.
The Solution: Agencies like Musskart deliver 30-40% faster with fewer revisions, reducing total cost.
Real Data: Freelancer project that took 16 weeks: ₦4.8M total. Musskart same project in 8 weeks: ₦4.2M. Saved ₦600K + 8 weeks.
Don't sacrifice these to save money:
Unlike most agencies, we publish our pricing openly. Here's exactly what you'll pay to work with Musskart.
Best For: Simple apps, landing pages, proof of concept
Timeline: 4-5 weeks
Payment: 40% upfront, 60% at delivery
Most Popular
Best For: Marketplace, fintech, on-demand services
Timeline: 7-9 weeks
Payment: 30% upfront, 40% midpoint, 30% delivery
Best For: Complex fintech, dual-sided marketplaces, enterprise
Timeline: 10-14 weeks
Payment: 30% upfront, 30% midpoint, 30% pre-launch, 10% post-launch
Answer these questions to get a rough estimate:
Formula: Base (₦2M) + Platform + Features + Customizations = Your Estimate
For an accurate quote based on your specific requirements, book a free consultation with Musskart.
| Payment Model | Structure | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| 50/50 Split | 50% upfront, 50% at delivery | Small projects (₦1M - ₦3M) |
| 40/30/30 Milestone | 40% upfront, 30% midpoint, 30% delivery | Standard MVPs (₦3M - ₦6M) - Musskart uses this |
| 30/30/30/10 Milestone | 30% upfront, 30% design approval, 30% pre-launch, 10% post-launch | Complex projects (₦6M+) |
| Monthly Retainer | Fixed monthly payment over project duration | Long-term development (rare for MVPs) |
Total First-Year Budget: ₦5M - ₦11.5M for complete MVP launch and operation
If Raising Seed Funding for MVP Development:
₦1.8M - ₦2.5M minimum for a production-ready MVP with a professional agency. This gets you a simple mobile or web app with 5-7 core features, basic design, user authentication, and proper testing. Anything significantly cheaper is either a template/no-code solution, or work from inexperienced freelancers that will likely need rebuilding.
₦5M - ₦9M typically. Fintech MVPs are more expensive because they require: KYC integration (₦400K-₦800K), payment processing (₦300K-₦600K), bank integrations (₦500K-₦1M), high security measures (₦400K-₦800K), and compliance features. Musskart's fintech MVPs start at ₦5.5M including all these components.
Agencies appear more expensive upfront but typically cost 20-30% less overall. Freelancers charge ₦5K-₦12K/hour vs agencies at ₦12K-₦20K/hour (bundled). However, freelancer projects take 30-50% longer, require significant management time, and often need expensive fixes. Total freelancer cost: ₦3M-₦10M. Agency fixed price: ₦2.5M-₦7M with guaranteed delivery.
Most professional agencies use milestone-based payments: 30-40% upfront to start work, 30-40% at midpoint (usually design approval or halfway through development), and 30% at delivery. Some include a small 10% post-launch payment after successful deployment. Avoid agencies demanding 70%+ upfront—that's a red flag.
₦150K - ₦500K monthly for the first year. This covers: hosting (₦30K-₦150K), payment gateway fees (1.5-2% of transactions), SMS services (₦10K-₦50K), maintenance and bug fixes (₦100K-₦300K), and other service subscriptions. Plan for ₦2M-₦6M in year-one operating costs beyond initial development.
Only with severe limitations. For ₦1M or less, you're limited to: no-code platforms (Bubble, Webflow), basic template customization, single freelancer (high risk), or a simple landing page. None of these are scalable MVPs. If ₦1M is your total budget, consider using it as a deposit (40% down payment) on a ₦2.5M MVP and raising additional funding.
Standard timeline is 6-10 weeks for ₦3M-₦6M MVPs. Rushing (4 weeks) adds a 20-30% premium. Taking longer (12+ weeks) doesn't save money—it often increases costs due to scope creep. The sweet spot is 8 weeks: enough time for proper planning and quality, fast enough to reach market quickly.
Web-only: ₦1.8M - ₦4M. Mobile (cross-platform): ₦3M - ₦6M. Mobile is more expensive because it requires: app store compliance, device-specific testing, offline functionality, push notifications, and deployment to multiple stores. However, for Nigerian consumer apps, mobile-first is usually worth the extra investment—85% of users are on mobile.
Definitely launch with fewer features (true MVP approach). A focused 5-feature MVP costs ₦2.5M-₦4M and launches in 6-8 weeks. An overbuilt 15-feature version costs ₦6M-₦9M and takes 12-16 weeks. You'll learn more from launching the simple version faster. Use real user feedback to guide v2.0 instead of guessing what users want.
Yes. Musskart offers milestone-based payments: 40% to start, 30% at midpoint, 30% at delivery for standard MVPs. For well-funded startups or those with verifiable investor commitments, we can discuss custom payment schedules. We understand Nigerian startup cash flow challenges and work to make quality development accessible.
Everything needed for launch: Discovery & planning, UI/UX design, frontend + backend development, QA testing on 10+ devices, all integrations (payment, SMS, etc.), app store submission, deployment, 30-day post-launch support, 100% code ownership, and technical documentation. No hidden costs. The quote you get is what you pay.
Stop guessing. Get a detailed, transparent quote based on your specific requirements.
Book Your Free Cost Breakdown SessionYour Free Session Includes:
✓ 60-minute detailed requirements discussion
✓ Feature prioritization to optimize cost
✓ Transparent line-by-line cost breakdown
✓ Timeline estimate with milestones
✓ Comparison of different approach costs
✓ First-year operating cost projection
✓ Fixed-price proposal (no surprises)
✓ Zero pressure, just transparent information
🏆 Why Choose Musskart?
We're Nigeria's most transparent MVP development agency. No hidden fees. No bait-and-switch. Just honest pricing and exceptional delivery.
📍 Based in Lagos | 🎯 250+ MVPs Delivered | ⏱️ Never Missed a Deadline | 💯 100% Code Ownership
Building an MVP is an investment, not an expense. The ₦3M-₦6M you spend on professional development can return 10x-100x if you build the right product and execute well.
Three principles guide Musskart's pricing philosophy:
We've helped 250+ Nigerian founders turn ideas into launched products. Some raised millions, some built profitable bootstrapped businesses, all started with a well-built MVP at a fair price.
Ready to start? Book your free consultation and let's build something amazing together.