The verdict in three sentences
If you are a WordPress developer in Dakar billing sites at around 300,000 FCFA, you compete with hundreds of profiles and 50-dollar themes. SMEs, startups and foreign clients pay more for web applications: ordering, booking, customer portals, dashboards. The course React and Next.js: build modern web applications (level 4 of the track, intermediate, 100,000 FCFA, 24 hours, taught in French) has you build two tested, live applications so you can move up to a different category of work.
WordPress versus React and Next.js: what the market pays in 2026
| Type of assignment or job | Pay in Dakar (2026 order of magnitude) | Competition | Skills required |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress brochure site with a theme | 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA per site | Very high | Theme, plugins, content |
| Monthly WordPress maintenance | 25,000 to 60,000 FCFA per month | High | Updates, backups |
| Salaried WordPress developer | 250,000 to 450,000 FCFA per month | High | Basic PHP, integration |
| Salaried junior React developer | 400,000 to 600,000 FCFA per month | Medium | Components, state, API calls |
| Experienced React and Next.js developer | 600,000 to 900,000 FCFA per month | Low | App Router, Server Actions, tests, deployment |
| Freelance SME app (ordering, booking) | 400,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA per project | Medium | Complete live application |
| Remote assignment for a European client | 150 to 300 EUR per day, or 98,000 to 197,000 FCFA | Medium, international | Portfolio, technical English |
You do not make the jump by changing your LinkedIn title: you have to show applications that work. That is why the course is built on projects rather than theory videos.
What upskilling costs
| Option | 2026 price | Duration | What is missing or what you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official docs and YouTube | 0 FCFA | 3 to 6 months self-taught | No guided project, no feedback |
| International online platforms | 10,000 to 60,000 FCFA per course | Varies | Generic cases, little African SME context |
| In-person bootcamp in Dakar | 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA | 3 to 6 months | Strong coaching, high cost |
| Kolonell, React and Next.js (level 4) | 100,000 FCFA | 24 h | 8 projects, 2 live applications, verifiable certificate |
| Full Web development track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | From HTML to full-stack | Automatically tested coding exercises |
Level 4 assumes you know JavaScript basics: functions, arrays, the DOM and fetch. A WordPress developer who mostly writes PHP and rarely touches JavaScript will benefit from taking level 3 of the Web development track first. The course is taught in French and paid with Wave or Orange Money.
What you learn, module by module
| Module | Concepts | Why a client pays for it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Components, JSX, props | Breaking down an interface | Reusable interfaces, faster delivery |
| 2. State and events | Reacting to user actions | Cart, filters, dynamic forms |
| 3. Lists, forms, validation | Reliable input | Fewer ordering errors |
| 4. Effects, data, hooks | API calls | Connecting to the client's data |
| 5. Global state and architecture | Code organisation | An app that stays maintainable |
| 6. Next.js App Router | Pages, routes, server rendering | SEO and speed on mobile |
| 7. Server Actions and authentication | Accounts, security | Customer area, back office |
| 8. Tests, performance, deployment | Going to production | Delivered, live application |
Mini case study
Ibrahima, 27, a freelance WordPress developer in Dakar, delivers about 2 sites a month at 300,000 FCFA, or 600,000 FCFA in monthly revenue, with a lot of unpaid revisions. He takes the course over 6 weeks at 4 hours a week and puts his two applications online in his portfolio.
Calculation: three months later, he signs a booking application for a clinic at 800,000 FCFA, delivered in 5 weeks, alongside one WordPress site a month. Over that quarter he goes from 1,800,000 FCFA to about 1,700,000 FCFA in sites plus 800,000 FCFA for the app, or 2,500,000 FCFA. The 100,000 FCFA course equals 12.5% of that single assignment. This scenario is an order of magnitude: landing the deal depends on your prospecting and the quality of your portfolio.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
FAQ
Should I drop WordPress?
No. Many freelancers keep WordPress for simple 300,000 FCFA brochure sites and sell React and Next.js for projects above 400,000 FCFA. The two offers complement each other.
What JavaScript level do I need before starting?
You need to be able to write a function, work with an array and make a fetch call. If not, the level 3 JavaScript course in the track takes 16 hours.
Are remote assignments at 150 to 300 EUR a day realistic from Dakar?
Yes, provided you have a strong portfolio and decent technical English. These are 2026 orders of magnitude for experienced profiles, not beginner rates.
How much time should I plan?
The course lasts 24 hours. At 4 hours a week, allow 6 weeks, projects included.
How do I pay?
With Wave or Orange Money, 100,000 FCFA. The verifiable certificate is issued at the end of the course.
Take the next step. Enroll in React and Next.js: build modern web applications: 24 hours, 100,000 FCFA, two live applications and a 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.
