10 Common Mistakes When Exporting IT to West Africa (and How to Avoid Them)

IT export to West Africa is not complicated when you know the pitfalls. Here are the 10 errors we see most often and how to avoid them.

1. Under-invoicing to reduce customs duties

Classic temptation → customs investigation, correction, penalties, delays. CEDEAO customs compare against internal price lists. Under-invoicing = guaranteed failure.

2. Forgetting the certificate of origin

Without Form A or EUR.1, the maximum tariff applies. Difference: sometimes 10–15 percentage points of customs duties. Documents always prepared in advance.

3. Choosing the "cheapest" Incoterm

FOB without a local freight forwarder = blockage. EXW without export experience = adventure. DAP is often the right compromise for most customers: seller delivers to destination, buyer clears customs.

4. Not checking electrical voltage

Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mali = 220V. Most laptops are 100–240V (OK). Servers and printers can be stricter. Check the technical sheet.

5. Underestimating the climate

Hot season = 40–45°C indoors without air conditioning. Non-hardened equipment = premature failures. Favor MIL-STD-810H or good ventilation in rooms.

6. No spare parts in stock

Manufacturer support almost nonexistent in West Africa for most brands. If breakdown: return to France = 4–8 weeks minimum. Critical spare parts on-site = mandatory for fleet > 50 units.

7. Neglecting electrical power

Frequent outages in Burkina/Mali/Niger. No UPS = data loss + fried equipment. UPS systematic on all critical units (3–5% of total budget).

8. Counting on fiber internet

Fiber available in Ouaga, Abidjan, Dakar downtown. Outside capital = 4G LTE often sufficient but not guaranteed. Starlink backup <€500/month for critical sites.

9. No business continuity procedure

Prolonged network outage + ransomware in France = panic. Written plan (what we do, who calls whom) to prepare in advance, not after the incident.

10. Choosing the cheapest freight forwarder

Low-cost freight forwarder = poor service. For high-tech > €10,000 excl. VAT, choose an IT specialist. Cost difference: ~5%. Reliability difference: huge.

Conclusion

These 10 errors are avoidable with a little preparation. KOLOSALTech integrates all these checks by default in every export quote.