The verdict in three sentences
In Bamako, HTML and CSS remain the cheapest entry point to a web income: with these two languages you can deliver the showcase website of a restaurant, a pharmacy or a private school. First contracts are around 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA per site (2026 order of magnitude), while a structured course costs 50,000 FCFA. What makes the difference is not time spent watching videos, but a complete, responsive, live website to show your first client.
The market for simple websites in Bamako in 2026
From ACI 2000 to Médina Coura market, more and more shop owners want to be found on Google Maps and share a link on WhatsApp. Many only have a Facebook page. Demand for simple, mobile-fast, affordable websites is real, even if clients negotiate hard.
| Service (2026 order of magnitude) | Price in Bamako | Delivery time | Typical clients |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single page (landing page) | 75,000 to 150,000 FCFA | 2 to 4 days | Event, promotion, craftsman |
| 4 to 5 page showcase site | 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA | 1 to 2 weeks | Restaurant, pharmacy, hair salon |
| Private school or clinic site (6 to 10 pages) | 300,000 to 500,000 FCFA | 2 to 4 weeks | Schools, medical practices |
| Mobile redesign of an existing site | 100,000 to 200,000 FCFA | 1 week | SMEs with an old site |
| Maintenance and updates | 15,000 to 40,000 FCFA a month | Ongoing | All delivered clients |
| Domain name and hosting (re-billed) | 30,000 to 60,000 FCFA a year | 1 day | All clients |
These rates are estimates: a beginner often starts at the low end, then moves up with a portfolio. No income is guaranteed.
Three ways to learn: cost and time compared
| Criterion | Alone on YouTube | Private school in Bamako | HTML and CSS course: build and lay out a real website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | 0 FCFA, plus 10,000 to 20,000 FCFA of data a month | 300,000 to 800,000 FCFA a year | 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR / 83 USD) |
| Duration | 3 to 9 months, often abandoned | 1 to 3 years | 12 h, self-paced |
| Language and context | Often English, foreign examples | French, general syllabus | French, case of a real SME |
| Project delivered | Rarely complete | Variable | Responsive multi-page showcase site, live |
| Flexbox, Grid, deployment | Scattered | Sometimes at the end of the programme | Included |
| Certificate | No | Diploma | Verifiable Kolonell Academy certificate |
| Power or network cut | Videos to reload | Lost classes | Progress saved, resume anytime |
The course is level 2 Beginner of the Web development track, taught in French. It assumes you have already written your first HTML tags. The full 5-level track, up to React and Next.js, costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA (about 535 EUR / 580 USD). Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
What you will be able to do after 12 hours
- Structure a page in semantic HTML (header, sections, footer, contact form).
- Style it with CSS: colours, fonts, spacing, buttons.
- Build layouts with Flexbox and Grid.
- Make the site responsive for smartphones, which account for most traffic in Mali.
- Deploy the site cleanly and check how it displays.
- Add a WhatsApp button and a Google Maps embed, both in high demand among shop owners.
Mini case study
Moussa, 21, a business student in Bamako, has learned a few tags on his own. He takes the HTML and CSS course (50,000 FCFA, 12 h over 3 weeks) and puts the sample SME site online.
- He pitches 10 shops in his neighbourhood, showing the site on his phone. 2 say yes.
- First contract: a restaurant at 150,000 FCFA. Second: a pharmacy at 200,000 FCFA.
- Income: 350,000 FCFA, plus 2 × 20,000 FCFA of monthly maintenance.
- Payback: the first contract alone repays the course 3 times.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
This scenario is an estimate: landing a client takes prospecting, and timelines vary widely.
FAQ
Can you really earn money with just HTML and CSS?
Yes for simple showcase sites, billed 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA in Bamako in 2026. For applications or online shops, you will then need JavaScript and React, later in the track.
Do you need a powerful computer?
No, a second-hand laptop at 150,000 to 250,000 FCFA is enough, with a free code editor. Your smartphone is mainly for testing the mobile display.
How long does the course take?
It lasts 12 h, i.e. 3 weeks at 4 h a week. You can resume after a power cut without losing your progress.
How do I pay from Mali?
The 50,000 FCFA fee is paid with Wave or Orange Money. The course is 100% online, in French.
Is a private school better?
A school gives a diploma that some employers value, for 300,000 to 800,000 FCFA a year. To deliver websites to shop owners quickly, a practical course and a portfolio are often enough to get started.
Take the next step. Enroll in HTML and CSS: build and lay out a real website: 12 h, 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR), 2 projects and a verifiable Kolonell Academy certificate, 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.
