The verdict in three sentences
On the Petite-Côte, hotel managers, accountants and administrative officers in Mbour and Saly lose several hours every week on booking confirmations, invoice reminders and spreadsheets copied by hand. Part of this work can be automated without writing code, using Google Sheets, Make, Zapier, WhatsApp and a well-configured AI assistant. The course Automate your work with AI, without writing code is level 4 Career, 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR / 170 USD), for 20 hours online, taught in French, with a portfolio of 8 automations.
Which tasks to automate in Mbour and Saly
The local economy relies on tourism, fishing, trade and services. Seasonality creates peaks: in high season a 30-room hotel can receive 40 to 80 requests a day on WhatsApp and email. The first module teaches you to choose what to automate, by measuring time spent before touching any tool.
| Repetitive task | Sector in Mbour/Saly | Tool taught | Time saved (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replying to price requests | Hotels, residences | Custom AI assistant + templates | 1 to 2 h/week |
| Booking confirmation | Hotels, excursions | Make or Zapier scenario + email | 1 h/week |
| Chasing unpaid invoices | Accounting, shops | Google Sheets + automatic emails | 1 to 1.5 h/week |
| Entering daily sales | Shops, fish sellers | Form + Sheets + batch AI | 1 h/week |
| Weekly report to the manager | All SMEs | Automatically generated document | 45 min/week |
| First-level customer reception | Hotels, agencies | WhatsApp and AI with safeguards | 1 to 2 h/week |
In total, the 5 to 8 hours saved per week is realistic for someone who handles many messages and spreadsheets. It is lower for a job that is already light on admin.
What the course and tools cost in 2026
The eight modules cover: choosing what to automate, custom AI assistants, Google Sheets and batch AI, Make and Zapier scenarios, automatic documents and emails, WhatsApp and AI customer reception, AI agents and safeguards, then making automations reliable, documented and maintained.
| Option | 2026 price (order of magnitude) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free tutorials | 0 FCFA (excluding data) | Isolated demos, mostly in English |
| One-off AI workshop in Dakar | 50,000 to 150,000 FCFA per day | Discovery, little practice |
| Consultant who automates for you | 150,000 to 500,000 FCFA per process | Delivered result, no autonomy |
| Kolonell, Automate your work with AI (level 4 Career) | 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR) | 20 h online, 8 modules, graded exercises, projects, verifiable certificate |
| Full Artificial Intelligence track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 (about 535 EUR) | From basic use up to Expert level |
For tools, Google Sheets and the free plans of Make or Zapier are enough to start. A paid AI assistant or Make subscription costs about 10 to 20 USD a month, or 6,000 to 12,000 FCFA. If you are new to AI, start with the earlier levels of the Artificial Intelligence track.
What the skill can bring in
| Use | Indicative 2026 value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Time saved for an employee | 5 to 8 h/week | To reinvest in higher-value work |
| Bonus or internal promotion | 25,000 to 75,000 FCFA/month | Depends on employer, not guaranteed |
| Freelance setup for an SME | 75,000 to 250,000 FCFA per automation | Once your portfolio is built |
| Monthly maintenance for a client | 25,000 to 60,000 FCFA/month | Monitoring, fixes, updates |
Mini case study
Aïssatou, 31, administrative manager of a 24-room hotel residence in Saly, spends about 7 hours a week answering rate requests, confirming bookings and chasing agencies for invoices. After the course she sets up three scenarios: template replies with an AI assistant that she reviews, automatic confirmations from a Google Sheet, scheduled reminders.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
Calculation: she estimates saving 5 hours a week, about 20 hours a month. Her employer values her hour at 1,500 FCFA, so 30,000 FCFA of time freed each month, and agrees to pay a 10 USD Make subscription. The 100,000 FCFA course is covered in just over three months on that basis alone, before any bonus. This is an estimate specific to her situation.
FAQ
Do I need to know how to code?
No. The 20 hours use visual tools. You do need to be comfortable with Google Sheets and an AI assistant, which levels 1 to 3 of the track cover.
Are automations safe for customer data?
Module 7 deals with safeguards: human review, limits of AI agents, data you must never send. Senegal's 2008-12 personal data law applies, and the course recalls the basic precautions.
How much do the tools cost each month?
You can start at 0 FCFA with free plans. Regular professional use costs 6,000 to 12,000 FCFA a month per paid tool.
Is the full track better value?
The 5-level Artificial Intelligence track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA, a saving of 100,000 FCFA, the same as the price of this level 4.
How do I pay from Mbour?
With Wave or Orange Money. Access opens as soon as the 100,000 FCFA payment is confirmed.
Take the next step. Enroll in Automate your work with AI, without writing code: 20 h online, taught in French, 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR / 170 USD), verifiable certificate. 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.
