The verdict in three sentences
For a student at UGB in Saint-Louis, an online portfolio coded in HTML and CSS is the most direct proof of skill in front of Dakar recruiters. About 60% of development internship ads ask for a portfolio or a GitHub link (2026 order of magnitude on Senegalese job ads), and hosting on GitHub Pages is free. The Kolonell Academy HTML and CSS course (50,000 FCFA, about 76 EUR, 12 h) lets you ship a real responsive site, live on mobile, to put at the top of your CV.
Why a portfolio changes your application
Companies and agencies in Dakar receive dozens of CVs for each internship. A link to a site you coded yourself shows in 30 seconds what a transcript cannot: you can lay out, structure and publish. Here is what a recruiter looks at in 2026.
| Application element | Without a portfolio | With an HTML and CSS portfolio |
|---|---|---|
| Proof of skill | Grades and course titles | 3 to 5 projects visible online |
| Recruiter evaluation time | 2 to 3 min on the CV | 30 s to open the site, then the code on GitHub |
| Accessible offers (development, front-end) | About 40% | About 100% |
| Estimated response rate | 5 to 10% | 15 to 25% |
| Freelance work potential | Low | Showcase sites for Saint-Louis businesses |
The portfolio also helps outside internships: a restaurant on Saint-Louis island or a guesthouse on the Langue de Barbarie may hire you for a showcase site, often billed 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA by a beginner.
What a portfolio costs, and what it can bring
| Item | 2026 cost or gain (estimate) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub Pages hosting | 0 FCFA | Free, HTTPS included |
| Domain name (.com or .sn) | 8,000 to 15,000 FCFA per year (12 to 23 EUR) | Optional but more professional |
| Kolonell HTML and CSS course (level 2) | 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR) | 12 h, self-paced, certificate |
| Paid development internship in Dakar | 50,000 to 150,000 FCFA per month (76 to 229 EUR) | Depends on company and length |
| First freelance showcase site | 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA | After a few portfolio projects |
| Junior developer job in Dakar | 250,000 to 450,000 FCFA per month (381 to 686 EUR) | After internship and projects |
Also compare the ways to learn.
| Option | 2026 cost | Duration | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tutorials and online platforms | 0 FCFA | Variable | Solid basics, generic projects |
| In-person bootcamp in Dakar | 300,000 to 900,000 FCFA | 3 to 6 months | Intensive coaching, often requires moving |
| Kolonell Academy, HTML and CSS (level 2) | 50,000 FCFA | 12 h from Saint-Louis | Multi-page responsive site, Flexbox, Grid, deployment, certificate |
| Full Web development track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | 5 courses | From first site to web application |
The course HTML and CSS: build and lay out a real website, taught in French, starts from semantic HTML and goes to a multi-page responsive site, built on a real SME case, then deployed properly. It is level 2 of the Web development track. It assumes you have already written a few tags: if not, start with level 1.
The 4 pages of a convincing student portfolio
A home page with your name, your UGB programme and one sentence on the internship you want. A projects page with 3 to 5 pieces of work, each with a screenshot, live link and GitHub link. An about page with your skills and languages. A contact page with email, LinkedIn and WhatsApp. Everything must display perfectly on a phone: most recruiters will open your link on mobile.
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.
Fatou, 22, a computer science undergraduate at UGB, takes the 50,000 FCFA HTML and CSS course and buys a domain name for 10,000 FCFA. Within six weeks she publishes a portfolio with 4 projects, including a site for a fictional Saint-Louis restaurant. She applies to 12 internships in Dakar, gets 3 interviews, then a 4-month internship paid 100,000 FCFA per month, or 400,000 FCFA. For 60,000 FCFA invested, the return is about 6.7 times, and the outlay is covered within the first 3 weeks of the internship. These figures are an estimate, not a hiring guarantee.
FAQ
Do I need a powerful computer to code HTML and CSS?
No. A second-hand computer at 120,000 FCFA, a free editor such as VS Code and a browser are enough. Portfolio files often weigh under 5 MB.
Is GitHub Pages really free?
Yes, for a static site such as a portfolio. You only pay for the domain name if you want one, between 8,000 and 15,000 FCFA per year.
Does the course fit around UGB classes?
Yes: 12 hours at your own pace, for example 2 hours a week for 6 weeks, from your campus room.
What comes after level 2?
Continue with JavaScript and the next levels of the Web development track. The full 5-level track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000.
How do I pay for the course?
By Wave or Orange Money, 50,000 FCFA in one payment, with immediate access and a certificate at the end.
Take the next step. Enroll in HTML and CSS: build and lay out a real website: 12 h self-paced, taught in French, 50,000 FCFA, Kolonell Academy 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.
