The verdict in three sentences
For a Saint-Louis freelancer with regular income, the right answer is rarely "all by myself" or "all to the accountant": it is doing the day-to-day yourself (invoices, collections, income ledger, cash flow) and delegating what carries tax liability as your business grows. The course "Manage your business: invoicing, taxes and cash flow" (level 3 Intermediate, 75,000 FCFA, 12 h, about 115 EUR) makes you self-sufficient on the day-to-day. It does not replace personalised tax advice, and says so clearly.
Three options compared, 2026 figures
In Saint-Louis, freelancers (designers, developers, translators, guides, consultants for delta projects or NGOs) often get paid through Wave or Orange Money, sometimes by transfer from a Dakar or diaspora client. Money quickly mixes with personal spending. Here are three ways to take back control.
| Option | Indicative 2026 cost | What you get | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant or firm | 25,000 to 100,000 FCFA a month (order of magnitude) | Filings, advice, legal security | 300,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA a year, and you still have to hand over clean records |
| Invoicing tool only (Zoho Invoice, spreadsheet) | free to a few thousand FCFA a month | Numbered invoices | Tells you neither which tax to pay nor how to manage cash flow |
| Kolonell Academy level 3 course | 75,000 FCFA, one-off | Full method, templates, cash flow plan, dashboard | Does not replace an accountant for complex cases |
| Course + occasional accountant | 75,000 FCFA + fees as needed | Self-sufficient day-to-day, accountant for sensitive points | Takes 30 minutes of tracking a week |
| Doing nothing | 0 FCFA upfront | Nothing | Rejected invoices, unpaid bills, year-end tax surprise |
Module 6 of the course actually has a full lesson on this: when to hire an accountant, what it costs and what to hand over each month.
What you do yourself, what you delegate
The course Manage your business: invoicing, taxes and cash flow, taught in French, has six modules and 23 written lessons, with a PDF handout and a quiz per module. Thresholds and rates are those of September 2026, with their source (DGID, APIX, CEPICI, DGI Côte d'Ivoire, OHADA), and each lesson tells you when to call in an accountant.
| Task | Module | Yourself after the course | Delegate if needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choosing a status (informal, entreprenant, sole proprietorship, SUARL), NINEA and RCCM | 1 (free preview) | Compare statuses, complete the formalities | Setting up a company with partners |
| Compliant quotes, invoices and credit notes, in FCFA or euros | 2 | Yes, with your templates | Rarely |
| CGU, income tax, CEL, 18% VAT, withholding tax (BRS) | 3 | Understand, set money aside, keep the calendar | Complex filings, real-profit regime |
| Collecting via Wave, Orange Money, transfer; reminders from D+1 to D+30 | 4 | Yes, up to formal notice | OHADA payment order |
| 12-month cash flow plan, fixed income, 3 months of reserve | 5 | Yes, in Google Sheets | No |
| Income and expense ledger, monthly reconciliation, 8 indicators | 6 | Yes, 30 minutes a week | Annual accounts if your status requires them |
Two projects are to be submitted: your administrative and tax file (module 3), then the final project, "your 12-month freelance financial system" (module 6). The eight dashboard indicators include amounts collected, invoiced, unpaid, margin per client, real hourly rate and reserve.
Prerequisites: having taken level 2, "Selling your services: offer, quote and negotiation", or already selling regular work to several clients; receiving at least part of your income via Wave, Orange Money or transfer; and being able to enter rows and add totals in Google Sheets. No accounting knowledge is required.
Where this level sits in the track
This level 3 comes after "Selling your services" (level 2) and before "Growing your agency: processes, subcontracting and hiring" (level 4). The full five-level Freelance and digital entrepreneurship track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000. Allow about 12 hours for this level, i.e. 3 hours a week for 4 weeks, plus time for paperwork at government offices.
Mini case study
Consider a hypothetical learner: Fatou, 29, a freelance graphic designer in Saint-Louis's Sor district. She invoices around 500,000 FCFA a month, mostly via Wave, to hotels on the Langue de Barbarie and two NGOs.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
- Accountant-only option at 50,000 FCFA a month: 600,000 FCFA a year.
- Course + occasional accountant twice a year at 50,000 FCFA: 75,000 + 100,000 = 175,000 FCFA in year one.
Illustrative calculation: the difference would be 425,000 FCFA in year one. The programme also cites, on a business of 500,000 FCFA a month, 50,000 to 150,000 FCFA of unpaid invoices commonly recovered per quarter through structured reminders, as an order of magnitude with no guarantee. This is only an assumption: the right balance depends on your status, your clients and how comfortable you are with figures.
FAQ
Do I need to set up a company before taking the course?
No. Module 1 helps you decide, figures in hand, and may conclude it is too early. Invoices, reminders, cash flow and the dashboard apply whatever your status.
Are the tax figures up to date?
Thresholds and rates are those of September 2026, with their source. They may change with each finance law voted in December: the course shows you where to check the new figures every January.
How do I pay and when does access open?
With Wave or Orange Money at +221 77 596 93 33, after receiving a pro forma invoice. Access is activated within 24 working hours, for life. It is not refundable once activated, so read the free module 1 first.
What certificate do I get?
A numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online by QR code, which you can add to LinkedIn, after passing the quizzes of all six modules at 70% minimum; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer. It is neither a diploma nor an accounting qualification.
Is there personalised support?
No: the format is written lessons, PDFs, exercises with answer keys, quizzes and two projects. For questions, you have the course forum and WhatsApp support.
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Take the next step. Enroll in Manage your business: invoicing, taxes and cash flow: 12 h, 75,000 FCFA (about 115 EUR), 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.
