The verdict in three sentences
In Ouagadougou, more and more official procedures, internal memos and supplier exchanges go through email and online documents, and many professionals over 45 end up relying on a child, a secretary or the cybercafé. Becoming independent on the basics, switching on, filing, finding a document, writing an email with an attachment, takes about 9 hours of guided work, not months. At 25,000 FCFA, a structured course costs less than five hours of private tutoring at home and quickly pays for itself through cybercafé visits avoided and time saved.
What really holds people back after 45
The problem is rarely intelligence or age: it is the lack of method and the fear of breaking something. A civil servant in Ouaga 2000 receiving a circular as an attachment, a trader at Rood Woko who must send an invoice as a PDF or a manager who cannot find yesterday's file all feel the same frustration. A slow, structured progression, explained in French, with exercises on your own computer, solves most of it.
The real costs of dependence and of independence (2026 estimate, varies by neighbourhood):
| Item | Indicative amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Private tutor at home | 5,000 to 10,000 FCFA per hour (8 to 15 EUR) | Often 10 hours or more to become independent |
| Task done at a cybercafé | 300 to 500 FCFA per task | Plus travel and waiting time |
| Refurbished laptop | 150,000 to 250,000 FCFA (230 to 380 EUR) | Enough for office work |
| Time to master the basics | about 9 hours | The goal of level 1 |
| Kolonell Academy, Getting started with your computer (level 1 Essential) | 25,000 FCFA (38 EUR) | Self-paced, with certificate |
Comparing ways to learn
| Option | Cost to become independent | Pace | Materials to keep | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A relative who shows you now and then | 0 FCFA | Irregular | None | No |
| Private tutor, 10 hours | 50,000 to 100,000 FCFA | Set by the tutor | Rarely | No |
| Office skills training centre in Ouagadougou | variable, often several tens of thousands of FCFA | Fixed hours | Sometimes | Attestation |
| Kolonell Academy, level 1 | 25,000 FCFA | Flexible, short lessons | Downloadable sheets and answer keys | Verifiable online |
| Full Office and productivity track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | Flexible | Yes | Yes |
The course Getting started with your computer, files and email is level 1 Essential, beginner level, 25,000 FCFA for 9 hours, taught in French. It includes 4 modules, 20 lessons and 52 exercises done on your own computer: mastering Windows 11 and the French AZERTY keyboard with its accents, filing documents with a folder plan and automatic backup to Google Drive or OneDrive, using Gmail or Outlook like a professional, then about twenty keyboard shortcuts. Each module ends with a step by step workshop and a quiz. It is the entry point of the Office and productivity track, whose level 2 covers Word.
The programme week by week
| Week | What you learn | What you can do afterwards |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Windows desktop, mouse, keyboard and accents | Type a letter without hunting for keys |
| 2 | Folders, dated file names, USB drive, online backup | Find any document within a minute |
| 3 | Email: write, reply, attach a file, signature | Send an invoice or a file without help |
| 4 | Shortcuts, inbox sorting, final project | Work alone and faster at the office |
With two sessions of 1 hour 15 minutes a week, you finish in a month without rushing.
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.
Illustrative example: Issouf, 52, an administrative officer at a ministry in Ouagadougou. He makes about 15 cybercafé visits a month at 400 FCFA each, 6,000 FCFA, plus 4,000 FCFA in transport: 10,000 FCFA a month. He was considering 10 hours of private tutoring at 7,000 FCFA an hour, 70,000 FCFA. He chooses the 25,000 FCFA course instead and follows it on his office computer. He saves 45,000 FCFA upfront, then 10,000 FCFA a month in cybercafé costs: the course pays for itself in under three months, not counting the time saved and the privacy of his documents. This calculation is illustrative.
FAQ
I do not own a computer yet, what should I buy?
A refurbished laptop between 150,000 and 250,000 FCFA running Windows 10 or 11 is more than enough. The course is built on Windows 11, but most steps are identical on Windows 10.
Is it too fast for someone who has never used a keyboard?
No, the 20 lessons are short and you move at your own pace. Plan for about 9 hours, spread over a month or longer.
Can I follow the course on my phone?
You can watch the lessons on a phone, but the 52 exercises are done on a computer. That is precisely the point: moving from the phone to a real workstation.
What happens if my computer breaks down?
Module 2 shows you how to set up automatic backup to Google Drive or OneDrive, free up to 15 GB with Google. Your documents remain available from another device.
What comes after this first level?
Level 2 covers professional Word, at 50,000 FCFA. The full 5 level Office track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000.
Take the next step. Enroll in Getting started with your computer, files and email: 9 hours, 25,000 FCFA (38 EUR), 52 exercises and a verifiable 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.
