The verdict in three sentences
If you can send a voice note on WhatsApp and have a Gmail address, you meet every requirement for the course Discover AI and use it this week (level 1 Beginner, 25,000 FCFA, about 38 EUR / 42 USD, 5 hours), taught in French. It works on a phone, even over 3G, starts with a free module 1 and is paid by Wave or Orange Money. It promises no direct income: the benefit is time, roughly 1 to 3 hours per week depending on how much writing your work involves.
Before you enroll: the real requirements
This FAQ answers the questions most often asked by traders at Sandaga, students at UCAD and employees in Dakar who have never really used artificial intelligence. The program of the course Discover AI and use it this week is deliberately short: four modules, twelve lessons of 12 to 15 minutes, each ending with an exercise on your phone.
| What you need | Required? | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Smartphone and WhatsApp | Yes | If you send voice notes, you can follow it |
| Email address (Gmail preferred) | Yes | To create free ChatGPT or Gemini accounts |
| Computer | No | A plus, not a condition |
| Connection | 3G is enough | Text and PDF lessons, no heavy video |
| Paid ChatGPT subscription | No | Everything uses the free versions |
| Technical skills or degree | No | It is the first level of the track |
What you do during the 5 hours
| Module | Content | Indicative time |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Understanding what AI really is (free) | AI without jargon, the six-task test, tasks you can lighten | About 45 min |
| 2. Getting started with the tools | ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Meta AI in WhatsApp, voice and photo, free or paid | About 45 min |
| 3. Five useful uses this week | The four-part clear request, message, summary, meeting, translation, planning | About 50 min |
| 4. Limits, risks and good practice | Invented answers, Senegal's data law 2008-12, fake voice scams | About 45 min |
| Exercises, quizzes and final project | Your week with AI, five tested uses and your rules sheet | About 1 h 30 |
By the end, you have a configured ChatGPT or Gemini account, Meta AI ready in WhatsApp, a log of five uses tested in your real week, ten reusable requests stored in a phone note, and a costed decision: stay free or pay for a Plus version (about 11,500 FCFA a month in September 2026, according to module 2).
What it costs compared with other options
| Option in Dakar | Price (2026 estimate) | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Kolonell Academy, level 1 | 25,000 FCFA, lifetime access | 5 structured hours, exercises, quizzes, numbered certificate |
| One-day AI workshop in a room | 30,000 to 75,000 FCFA | One session, plus transport, little follow-up |
| Free YouTube videos | 0 FCFA | Scattered content, often in English, no rules sheet |
| ChatGPT Plus subscription | About 11,500 FCFA per month | The tool, not the method |
| Full Artificial Intelligence track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | From first use to billable services |
This level 1 is the entry point of the Artificial Intelligence track. Level 2, "Write, analyse and organise your work with AI", turns these first uses into a working system.
Mini case study
Consider a hypothetical learner: Moussa, 38, who runs a hardware shop in Grand Yoff. He spends about 4 hours a week writing messages to suppliers, checking invoices and preparing his order list.
Illustrative calculation: the course costs 25,000 FCFA and can be finished in one week at one hour a day. If AI saves him 2 hours a week, about 8 hours a month, and he values his hour at 2,000 FCFA, that is 16,000 FCFA of time recovered per month: the course would pay for itself in under two months. This is only an assumption; the program talks about saving 1 to 3 hours, not about income.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
FAQ
I am not comfortable with computers, is this for me?
Yes. If you can send a voice note on WhatsApp, you can follow this course. Each step is explained one at a time, phone first, in 5 hours in total.
How do I pay and when does access open?
You pay 25,000 FCFA by Wave or Orange Money at +221 77 596 93 33, against a pro forma invoice. Access is activated within 24 working hours after payment and is lifetime, updates included. The course is no longer refundable once access is activated: read the free module 1 first to check it suits you.
What is the certificate worth?
You receive a numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online (QR code), that you can add to LinkedIn, after passing the quizzes of the four modules with at least 70 %; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer. It shows you completed the course; it is neither a degree nor an official certification.
Are there videos or a live trainer?
No. The format relies on written lessons, PDF handouts, exercises, quizzes and a final project. For questions, you have the course forum and WhatsApp support. That is what makes it usable over 3G with little data.
Is it risky to paste my documents into ChatGPT?
It depends on the document. Module 4 teaches what can be pasted, what must be anonymised and what never leaves your hands, in line with Senegal's personal data law 2008-12. You leave with your rules sheet and three checks to run before using an answer.
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Take the next step. Enroll in Discover AI and use it this week: 5 hours, 25,000 FCFA (about 38 EUR), numbered Kolonell Academy certificate verifiable online. 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.
