The verdict in three sentences
In Saint-Louis, many teachers, UGB students, administrative officers and NGO staff already open ChatGPT or Gemini, but get answers that are too long, vague or wrong, for lack of a prompting method and error checking. With a simple method, AI drafts a first version of a report, summarizes a 40-page document and organizes a week, and the gain is, as an order of magnitude, 2 to 4 hours a week, sometimes 6 during reporting periods. The Kolonell course Write, analyze and organize your work with AI (level 2, 10 h, 50,000 FCFA, about 76 EUR) sets up that working system in a few weeks.
How much AI at work costs in Saint-Louis in 2026
The learning cost is low compared to the time saved. Free versions of the assistants are enough for most of the course; a paid subscription stays optional.
| Expense | 2026 price (FCFA) | Required | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolonell course, Write, analyze and organize with AI (level 2) | 50,000 one-off (about 76 EUR) | Yes for the method | 10 h online, certificate |
| Free versions of ChatGPT, Gemini or Copilot | 0 | No | Enough for most exercises |
| Paid AI subscription | 12,000 to 14,000 per month (about 20 USD) | No | Useful for long documents and heavy use |
| Mobile data for daily use | 3,000 to 5,000 per month | Depends on connection | 2 to 4 GB is enough for text use |
| One-off in-person workshop in Saint-Louis or Dakar | 30,000 to 100,000 per day | No | Rare, little follow-up |
| Free videos and tutorials | 0 | No | Poorly suited to local administrative documents |
The course Write, analyze and organize your work with AI, taught in French, is level 2 of the Artificial Intelligence track. It teaches you to write requests that work the first time, produce professional documents (letters, memos, minutes, reports), read and summarize long documents without missing anything, check for errors and protect sensitive data, then organize your week with a reliable assistant.
Where AI saves time, job by job
The times below are 2026 estimates for regular, checked use. The real gain depends on how much writing your job involves.
| Profile in Saint-Louis | Typical task | Time without AI | Time with method | Indicative weekly gain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High school teacher | Lesson sheets, exam papers, report comments | 6 h | 3.5 h | 2.5 h |
| Master's student at UGB | Article summaries, thesis outline | 8 h | 5 h | 3 h |
| Administrative officer (town hall, local state office) | Letters, memos, minutes | 7 h | 4 h | 3 h |
| NGO project officer | Monthly reports, field minutes | 10 h | 5.5 h | 4.5 h |
| Hotel or tourism staff | Customer replies in French and English | 4 h | 2 h | 2 h |
| SME manager | Quotes, follow-ups, posts | 5 h | 3 h | 2 h |
One point matters as much as the time saved: AI makes mistakes. The course insists on proofreading figures, names and references, and on what you must never paste into an assistant (patient, pupil or beneficiary data).
The Artificial Intelligence track, level by level
| Level | Course | Price (FCFA) | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discover AI and use it this week | 25,000 | 5 h |
| 2 | Write, analyze and organize your work with AI | 50,000 | 10 h |
| 3 | Generative AI for professionals | 75,000 | 12 h |
| 4 | Automate your work with AI, no code | 100,000 | 20 h |
| 5 | AI consultant: sell, scope and deliver projects | 200,000 | 50 h |
| Full track | All 5 levels | 350,000 instead of 450,000 | 97 h |
The Artificial Intelligence track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA (about 535 EUR instead of 685 EUR). If you have never used an AI assistant, level 1 at 25,000 FCFA (5 h) is a good starting point.
Mini case study
Mariama, 29, is a monitoring officer at a Saint-Louis NGO working on artisanal fishing in Guet Ndar. She spends about 10 hours a week on activity reports, minutes of community meetings and emails to partners.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
After the course, completed in 4 weeks at 2.5 hours a week, she uses request templates for her minutes and has donor documents summarized before reading them in detail. She saves about 4 hours a week, or 16 hours a month.
Calculation: with a salary of 300,000 FCFA for about 173 hours a month, one hour of work is worth roughly 1,730 FCFA. 16 hours saved represent about 27,700 FCFA of time per month, so the 50,000 FCFA course is offset in under 2 months, about 7 to 8 weeks. She mostly reinvests that time in field work. It is an estimate.
FAQ
Do I need a paid ChatGPT subscription for the course?
No. Free versions are enough for the vast majority of exercises. A subscription at 12,000 to 14,000 FCFA a month only becomes useful for heavy use on long documents.
I am a UGB student, can I use AI for my thesis?
The course shows how to use it to read, summarize and structure, with source checking. Your university's writing rules still apply, and the final text must remain your own.
How long does it take to finish?
The course lasts 10 hours. At 2 to 3 hours a week, it is done in 4 to 5 weeks.
Is the connection in Saint-Louis good enough?
Yes, the lessons and AI assistants work on 4G and even 3G for text. Count 2 to 4 GB a month for regular use.
How do I pay for enrollment?
The 50,000 FCFA is paid by Wave or Orange Money, and access opens as soon as payment is confirmed.
Take the next step. Enroll in Write, analyze and organize your work with AI: 10 hours online, 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR), certificate included. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? 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.
