The verdict in three sentences
Selling only on Facebook and WhatsApp in Ouagadougou always hits a wall: too many messages just to give a price, no catalogue that Google can find, diaspora customers who want to pay remotely. A real online store with mobile money payment and organised delivery solves all three, provided you stock it and run it every week. Hiring a provider costs 300,000 to 800,000 FCFA; the 20-hour course at 75,000 FCFA (about 115 EUR) teaches you to open and manage it yourself.
Provider-built or self-built: the real 12-month calculation
The build price is only part of the cost. Add the platform subscription, the domain name, payment fees and above all update time. Many provider-built stores die after three months because the owner cannot add a product or change a price.
| 12-month item (2026 order of magnitude) | Provider-built store | Store built after the course |
|---|---|---|
| Build | 300,000 to 800,000 FCFA | 0 FCFA (your time) |
| Training | 0 FCFA | 75,000 FCFA |
| Platform subscription | 120,000 to 300,000 FCFA | 120,000 to 300,000 FCFA |
| Domain name | 10,000 to 15,000 FCFA | 10,000 to 15,000 FCFA |
| Catalogue updates | 10,000 to 30,000 FCFA per request | Self-managed |
| Mobile money payment fees | 1 to 3.5% of sales | 1 to 3.5% of sales |
| Total excluding payment fees | 430,000 to 1,115,000 FCFA and up | 205,000 to 390,000 FCFA |
Amounts vary with the platform (Shopify, WooCommerce or Wix) and the payment aggregator. They are orders of magnitude, not official rates.
What you build during the course
The course Online store: create it, stock it and run it is level 3 (intermediate) of the E-commerce and Online Selling track, taught in French. It contains no code. Its six modules follow the real order of a launch.
| Module | Content | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Platform and budget | Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix compared in FCFA over 12 months | Reasoned choice |
| 2. Build | Collections, mobile theme, trust and legal pages | Structured store |
| 3. Catalogue | Product pages, variants, SKUs, photos, CSV import | 20 products published |
| 4. Payment and delivery | Mobile money via PayDunya or CinetPay, card, cash on delivery, zones | Tested checkout |
| 5. Visitors | Google Search Console, Merchant Center, Meta catalogue | First qualified visits |
| 6. Running it | Weekly dashboard, stock, follow-ups | 2-hour weekly routine |
For delivery within Ouagadougou, motorbike couriers usually charge 1,000 to 2,500 FCFA per parcel depending on distance, from Ouaga 2000 to Tampouy. The course has you build that cost into your prices or minimum basket so you keep your margin. It also covers cash on delivery, still common in Burkina Faso in 2026: you set a deposit rule for orders above a threshold, track refused parcels and calculate what each failed delivery really costs you, so that a few no-shows do not wipe out a week of profit.
Ways to learn
| Option | 2026 price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free YouTube videos | 0 FCFA | Tutorials built for Europe, no mobile money |
| In-person e-commerce workshop in Ouagadougou | 75,000 to 200,000 FCFA | 1 to 2 days, rarely a finished store |
| Kolonell course, level 3 | 75,000 FCFA, 20 h | Open store, 20 products, payment and delivery |
| Full E-commerce track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | From WhatsApp selling to running the business |
Mini case study
Mariam, 31, sells Faso Dan Fani fabrics and leather bags on Facebook from Ouagadougou. She makes about 25 sales a month with an average basket of 18,000 FCFA and spends 3 hours a day answering price requests.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
She takes the course (75,000 FCFA) and opens her store with 24 products and a 15,000 FCFA monthly plan. Three months later, with prices visible, her sales rise to 35 a month, 8 of them from the diaspora. Extra revenue: 10 sales times 18,000 FCFA, so 180,000 FCFA a month. At a 40% margin, that is 72,000 FCFA of extra margin, minus the 15,000 FCFA plan: 57,000 FCFA net a month. The course pays for itself in under six weeks. These figures illustrate a calculation, not a promise.
FAQ
Do I need to code?
No. Shopify, WooCommerce and Wix are configured through menus, and the course contains no code. A computer is recommended for the build; daily management works on a smartphone.
Can I accept mobile money in Burkina Faso?
Yes, through aggregators such as PayDunya or CinetPay that accept Orange Money, Moov Money and cards. Fees are around 1 to 3.5% per transaction in 2026.
How long until the store is open?
The course lasts 20 hours. At 5 hours a week, the store is open with 20 products in about 4 weeks.
What subscription should I budget?
Plan 10,000 to 25,000 FCFA a month depending on the platform and options. Module 1 has you calculate the full 12-month cost before choosing.
What is the prerequisite?
Level 2, E-commerce: selling online, is recommended, or an existing online selling activity with set prices. The full 5-level track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000.
Take the next step. Enroll in Online store: create it, stock it and run it: 20 hours, 75,000 FCFA, Kolonell certificate included, 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.
