The verdict in three sentences
In Bamako, restaurants, private clinics, schools and hotels in ACI 2000 or Badalabougou want a fast website that reads well on a phone, and a serious beginner can deliver one after a few months of practice. A simple brochure website sells for 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA in Mali in 2026, as an order of magnitude, and a landing page for 75,000 to 150,000 FCFA. Free tutorials teach tags, but only a graded multi-page project, published online, convinces a first client.
What HTML and CSS earn in Bamako in 2026
HTML and CSS do not cover everything: a site with online payment or an admin area needs JavaScript and then a framework. But for brochure websites, which make up most SME requests, these two languages do most of the work. Ranges seen in 2026 (order of magnitude, Bamako and the region):
| Service | Skills required | Indicative price (FCFA) |
|---|---|---|
| One-page landing page | HTML, CSS, responsive | 75,000 to 150,000 |
| 4 to 5 page brochure website | Semantic HTML, Flexbox, Grid, deployment | 150,000 to 400,000 |
| Mobile redesign of an existing site | Responsive CSS, image optimisation | 100,000 to 250,000 |
| Building from a Figma mockup | Advanced CSS, visual precision | 50,000 to 150,000 per page template |
| Simple monthly maintenance | Content updates | 15,000 to 40,000 per month |
| Site with payment or back office | JavaScript, React, database | Higher levels required |
For comparison, an agency commonly charges 400,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA for a brochure website, so there is real room for a careful freelancer targeting small businesses.
The options for learning
| Option | Price (FCFA) | Duration | What is missing or included |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube tutorials and free sites | 0 | Unlimited | No graded project, no structured progression |
| Coding school in Bamako or Dakar | 300,000 to 900,000 | 3 to 12 months | Classroom supervision, fixed hours, high cost |
| Kolonell course "HTML and CSS: build and lay out a real website" | 50,000 (about 76 EUR) | 12 h, self-paced | 5 modules, 25 lessons, 61 corrected exercises, 2 graded projects, certificate |
| Full Web development track (5 levels) | 350,000 instead of 450,000 | Progressive | From first code to React and applications |
The Kolonell Academy HTML and CSS course for building a real website, taught in French, is level 2 Beginner of the Web development track. It assumes you have written your first tags (that is what level 1, Discover code, covers). You structure a site in semantic HTML with accessible forms, master CSS fundamentals, then Flexbox and Grid layout starting from mobile, and finish with image optimisation, deployment and a Lighthouse check. Two graded projects: a restaurant landing page, then the responsive 4-page brochure website of an SME.
After HTML and CSS: the logical next steps
The most efficient path to better-paid projects:
| Step | What you can do | Projects within reach |
|---|---|---|
| Level 2, HTML and CSS | Hand-coded responsive brochure websites | Landing pages, 4 to 5 page sites |
| Level 3, JavaScript | Dynamic forms, calculations, interactions | Simulators, menus, filterable galleries |
| Further levels, React and applications | Complex interfaces, data | Dashboards, business applications |
| Online portfolio | 3 to 5 published projects | Credibility with SMEs |
A portfolio of 3 live sites is worth more than a list of certificates. Start with the site of a shopkeeper you know in your neighbourhood, published and visible 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.
Moussa, 21, a computer science undergraduate in Bamako, has followed tutorials without ever finishing a site. He takes the course (50,000 FCFA) over 4 weeks, 3 hours a week. His final project, a 4-page SME website, becomes his first portfolio piece. He then offers a pharmacy in Kalaban Coura a landing page at 100,000 FCFA, and a private school a brochure website at 200,000 FCFA. Total: 300,000 FCFA, or 6 times the course price. Even with a single client at 100,000 FCFA, the course pays for itself twice. These amounts are 2026 orders of magnitude, with no guaranteed income.
FAQ
Can you learn HTML and CSS on a phone?
It is possible for the theory, but a computer is strongly recommended to code for 12 hours and publish a site. A second-hand laptop at 120,000 to 200,000 FCFA in Bamako is more than enough.
How long until a first client?
Expect 1 to 3 months after finishing the course, enough time to publish 2 or 3 projects. First clients often come from your close network: family, local shopkeepers, associations.
Do you need English?
No, the course is in French. Tag and CSS property names are in English, but around twenty words are enough and they are explained across the 25 lessons.
Are HTML and CSS enough to make a living from web development?
To get started with brochure websites, yes. For projects at 500,000 FCFA and above, JavaScript (level 3) and then React become necessary.
Is the certificate recognised?
It is verifiable online and attests to 2 projects graded against a set of criteria. For a client, what matters most is still the live site you show them.
Take the next step. Enroll in HTML and CSS: build and lay out a real website: 12 hours, 50,000 FCFA, 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.
