The verdict in three sentences
In Dakar, Excel is still the skill most often tested in interviews for accounting assistant, stock controller or administrative assistant roles. An in-person course costs 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA, while a structured online course with a certificate, such as Kolonell Academy's Level 3 Advanced, costs 75,000 FCFA for 14 hours. If you can already open a workbook and enter data, this is the level to aim for to land a job or a promotion.
How much does an Excel course cost in Dakar in 2026
The Dakar market offers three main options. Training centres in Plateau, Mermoz or Sacré-Cœur run in-person sessions over 2 to 4 weeks. Free YouTube videos teach isolated formulas, with no structure and no feedback. Structured online courses combine exercises, real cases and a certificate.
| Option | 2026 price (ballpark) | Duration | Certificate | Local case studies |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free YouTube videos | 0 FCFA (plus 5,000 to 10,000 FCFA of data per month) | Variable | No | Rare |
| International online certificate | 20,000 to 60,000 FCFA | 6 to 20 h | Yes, in English | No |
| In-person centre in Dakar, beginner | 100,000 to 150,000 FCFA | 20 to 30 h | Centre attestation | Sometimes |
| In-person centre in Dakar, advanced | 150,000 to 250,000 FCFA | 30 to 40 h | Centre attestation | Sometimes |
| Kolonell Academy, Practical Excel (Level 3 Advanced) | 75,000 FCFA | 14 h | Yes, verifiable | Yes: sales, stock, cash, budget in FCFA |
| Full Kolonell Office track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA | About 91 h | One certificate per level | Yes |
The recommended course is Practical Excel: tables, formulas and analysis for work, Level 3 Advanced at 75,000 FCFA (about 115 EUR). The course is taught in French. It also works with Google Sheets, which helps if you use a shared computer or a phone. Enrolment is paid with Wave or Orange Money.
What you learn, level by level
Excel is part of the Office and productivity track, which runs from getting started with a computer to the executive assistant job. Practical Excel is the third level. If you cannot yet save a file or write a professional email, start with Level 1.
| Level | Content | Price | What you can do at the end |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Essential | Computer, files, professional email | 25,000 FCFA | Organise documents, send a clean attachment |
| 2 Practical | Word: CVs, reports, documents | 50,000 FCFA | Produce a CV and a structured report in PDF |
| 3 Advanced | Excel: tables, formulas, analysis | 75,000 FCFA | Track sales, stock and budget, build a pivot table |
| 4 Career | Full Office pack: Word, Excel, PowerPoint | 100,000 FCFA | Produce files, spreadsheets and presentations end to end |
| 5 Pro Track | Executive assistant | 200,000 FCFA | Manage a director's calendar, files and reporting |
In practice, Level 3 covers building reliable tables, the formulas used in every office (SUMIF, COUNTIF, XLOOKUP, nested IFs), conditional formatting to spot stock-outs, pivot tables and charts for a monthly report. Each module ends with a corrected exercise on a real case: the till of a shop in Sandaga, the stock of a warehouse in Pikine, the budget of an NGO project.
What Excel pays on the Dakar market
Excel does not guarantee a job, but it is one of the skills that separates two candidates with the same degree. Here are 2026 ballpark figures observed in Dakar for roles where Excel is required.
| Role in Dakar | Monthly salary 2026 (ballpark) | Expected Excel level |
|---|---|---|
| Administrative intern | 50,000 to 100,000 FCFA | Data entry, simple sums |
| Administrative assistant | 150,000 to 250,000 FCFA | Clean tables, filters |
| Accounting assistant | 200,000 to 350,000 FCFA | Conditional formulas, reconciliations |
| Stock controller | 200,000 to 300,000 FCFA | Inventory tracking, threshold alerts |
| NGO reporting officer | 350,000 to 600,000 FCFA | Pivot tables, charts, consolidation |
| Freelance data entry and dashboards | 30,000 to 100,000 FCFA per job | Reusable templates for SMEs |
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.
Awa, 24, a management graduate in Dakar, works as an administrative assistant for 180,000 FCFA a month at a distribution SME. The accountant is leaving and management wants an internal replacement as accounting assistant, paid 250,000 FCFA. The stated requirement: handling reconciliations and payment tracking in Excel.
Awa enrols in Level 3 for 75,000 FCFA, paid with Wave, and completes the 14 hours over six weeks, two evenings a week. She rebuilds the SME's payment tracking with XLOOKUP and a pivot table, then presents it to her manager with her certificate. If she gets the job, she gains 70,000 FCFA a month: the course pays for itself in just over one month of salary, about 5 weeks. In a training centre, the same path would have cost her at least 150,000 FCFA plus evenings stuck in VDN traffic.
FAQ
Is the Kolonell certificate recognised by employers in Dakar?
It is a private, verifiable online training certificate, not a state diploma. What convinces a recruiter is mostly the workbook you show in the interview: the course has you build 3 to 4 reusable spreadsheets you can present.
Do I need Excel installed on my computer?
No, every exercise also works on Google Sheets, which is free. A Microsoft 365 licence costs about 45,000 to 70,000 FCFA a year, but it is not required to follow the 14 hours.
I am a complete beginner, can I start straight with Excel?
It is not recommended if you cannot yet save and find a file. Level 1 Essential at 25,000 FCFA takes 5 hours and keeps you from getting stuck on basic steps during Level 3.
How long does it take to finish the course?
The programme lasts 14 hours. At 3 hours a week, most learners finish in 4 to 6 weeks, at their own pace, on a computer or a tablet.
How do I pay for enrolment?
With Wave or Orange Money, in one payment: 75,000 FCFA for Practical Excel. The full 5-level track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA if you take it as a bundle.
Take the next step. Enroll in Practical Excel: tables, formulas and analysis for work: 14 hours, 75,000 FCFA, verifiable certificate at the end, 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.
