The verdict in three sentences
In Dakar, recruiters and clients look first at what you have built: an active GitHub profile and live applications often weigh more than a degree title for a junior role. A serious career change therefore requires a portfolio, a decent computer and consistency more than money. The Full-Stack JavaScript Developer course (Level 5 Pro Track, 200,000 FCFA, about EUR 305, 45 h) is designed for exactly that, without promising a job: it has you produce the evidence you will be asked for.
Before you start: the real conditions
A career change often hinges on practical details. Here is what the program requires, without sugarcoating.
| Condition | What you need | Indicative 2026 cost in Dakar |
|---|---|---|
| Computer | Windows, macOS or Linux, 4 GB RAM minimum, 8 GB recommended | 120,000 to 150,000 FCFA for an adequate used laptop |
| Connection | Regular, to install tools and deploy | your usual plan |
| Time | 5 to 8 hours a week for 8 to 12 weeks | evenings and weekends, without quitting your job |
| English | Read basic technical English (error messages, function names) | learned along the way |
| Starting level | No programming experience | 0 FCFA |
| Course | Full-Stack JavaScript Developer, 45 h | 200,000 FCFA (about EUR 305), lifetime access |
Lessons can be read on a phone, but code exercises, projects and deployment happen on a computer. That is the first thing to sort out.
The path, module by module
The course Full-Stack JavaScript Developer, from zero to portfolio, taught in French, has eight modules and 45 short lessons with real code. Code exercises are graded automatically: you write, you run the tests, you see what passes and what breaks. Each module ends with a project.
| Weeks (at 5-8 h) | Module | Project to submit |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Web fundamentals and HTML (free preview) | Your profile page in semantic HTML |
| 2 | CSS and layout | Responsive landing page for a Dakar SME |
| 3 to 4 | JavaScript basics | Quote calculator in JavaScript |
| 4 to 5 | Advanced JavaScript and the browser | To-do list connected to a public API |
| 5 to 6 | Git, terminal and developer tools | A clean GitHub repository with README and branches |
| 6 to 8 | React: components and hooks | React stock management app for a shop |
| 8 to 9 | Next.js and server rendering | Multi-page Next.js site with server data |
| 10 to 12 | Backend, APIs and databases | Capstone: order management for a WhatsApp shop |
The capstone brings everything together: catalog, authentication, REST API with Express and Prisma, PostgreSQL database and deployment on Vercel or a VPS. It alone takes about ten hours. Tools used: VS Code, Git and GitHub, Node.js, npm, React, Next.js, Express, PostgreSQL, Prisma and Vercel.
You leave with an online portfolio of 8 clickable projects, a GitHub profile with 8 documented repositories, a deployed full-stack application and a technical resume structured by skills.
What a developer earns in Dakar in 2026
The figures below come from the course page. They are 2026 orders of magnitude that vary by profile; no income is guaranteed, and your portfolio and network determine where you land in the range.
| Situation | 2026 order of magnitude |
|---|---|
| Salaried junior developer in Dakar | 200,000 to 400,000 FCFA per month (about EUR 305 to 610) |
| Junior in a fast-growing startup | up to 500,000 FCFA per month |
| Experienced developer in Dakar | 400,000 to 800,000 FCFA per month |
| Freelance showcase website | 150,000 to 600,000 FCFA per project |
| Freelance simple web application | 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 FCFA per project |
For a more gradual progression, the Web Development track offers five levels, this course being the last one; the full track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000.
Mini case study
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
Consider a hypothetical learner: Ibrahima, 32, an accountant in a Dakar SME. He keeps his job and codes 6 hours a week, in the evenings and on Saturdays, for about ten weeks.
Illustrative calculation: course 200,000 FCFA, plus a used laptop at 150,000 FCFA, for a total investment of 350,000 FCFA. If, under a cautious assumption, he then sold two showcase websites at 200,000 FCFA each to shop owners he knows, the cost would be covered. If he aimed instead for a junior job at 250,000 FCFA a month, the difference with an accountant's salary depends entirely on his current situation. This is a calculation scenario, not a promise.
FAQ
I have never coded. Is this possible?
Yes, the course starts from zero. Module 1 explains how the web works (HTTP, DNS) before the first tag, and every concept is followed by an automatically graded exercise. The conditions are consistency, 5 to 8 hours a week, and the habit of searching when a bug resists.
What happens when I get stuck?
Each code exercise shows the failing tests and an explanation. If you are still stuck, you post your code and error message on the course forum; WhatsApp support is also available. There are no videos or live classes: written lessons, PDFs, code exercises and quizzes.
Does the course guarantee a job?
No, no course can guarantee that. It gives you the evidence recruiters and clients ask for in 2026: 8 projects, a deployed application and an active GitHub.
What certificate will I get?
A numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online (QR code), that you can add to LinkedIn, earned by passing the 8 quizzes with at least 70 % and completing the capstone; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer. It is not a state degree: it attests to the projects you built.
How do I pay and start?
With Wave or Orange Money at +221 77 596 93 33; access is activated within 24 working hours and is no longer refundable once activated. Read the free module 1 first to check the pace suits you.
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Take the next step. Enroll in Full-Stack JavaScript Developer: 45 h, Level 5 Pro Track, 200,000 FCFA (about EUR 305), 8 projects and a verifiable Kolonell Academy certificate, taught in French. 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.
