The verdict in three sentences
San-Pédro, the world's leading cocoa export port, is home to freight forwarders, hotels, clinics and shops that need a showcase website but find few developers locally. HTML and CSS are the foundation of every website, and a simple showcase site is billed, as an order of magnitude, at 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA (229 to 610 EUR) to a local SME. Learning to code it properly costs 50,000 FCFA (76 EUR) and 12 hours online, without leaving San-Pédro for a bootcamp in Abidjan.
Learning web development from San-Pédro: the options
Serious in-person training is concentrated in Abidjan, about 350 km away. Travel, housing and tuition make that option expensive for a student or technician. 2026 comparison.
| Option | Cost | Duration | Content | Limitation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube tutorials and free courses | 0 FCFA (mobile data about 5,000 FCFA a month) | 3 to 6 months self-study | Scattered basics | No full project, no feedback |
| Free online certificates in English | 0 FCFA | 4 to 8 weeks | HTML and CSS syntax | Examples far from Ivorian SMEs |
| Bootcamp in Abidjan | 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA, plus housing 75,000 to 150,000 FCFA a month | 3 to 6 months | Full program with trainers | Price and relocation |
| Kolonell Academy, level 2 « HTML and CSS: build and lay out a real website » | 50,000 FCFA (76 EUR) | 12 h, self-paced | Semantic HTML, Flexbox, Grid, responsive, going live, real SME case | Requires knowing your first tags |
| Full Web development track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | Several months | From the first HTML file to full-stack | Longer commitment |
The course HTML and CSS: build and lay out a real website, taught in French, is level 2 of the Web development track. It leads to a complete SME showcase site, coded by you and live on mobile, with a verifiable certificate. If you have never written a tag, start with level 1 of the track, at 25,000 FCFA.
What a showcase website earns in San-Pédro
| Type of local client | Typical need | Pages | Indicative 2026 fee | Delivery time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small shop or restaurant | Presentation, menu, WhatsApp contact | 3 to 4 | 150,000 FCFA | 1 week |
| Hotel or furnished residence | Rooms, photo gallery, rates | 5 to 6 | 250,000 to 300,000 FCFA | 2 weeks |
| Freight forwarder or port logistics firm | Services, references, quote form | 5 to 8 | 300,000 to 400,000 FCFA | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Clinic or medical practice | Specialties, hours, team | 5 | 250,000 FCFA | 2 weeks |
| Maintenance and updates | Monthly changes | Variable | 15,000 to 30,000 FCFA a month | Ongoing |
These fees are orders of magnitude for a beginner delivering a clean site. Add the domain name and hosting, about 20,000 to 40,000 FCFA a year, billed to the client.
The 12-hour curriculum
| Block | Approximate duration | Skill acquired |
|---|---|---|
| Semantic HTML | 2 h | Structure a page readable by Google and accessible |
| CSS basics | 2 h | Colors, fonts, spacing, selectors |
| Flexbox | 2 h | Align menus, cards and sections |
| Grid | 2 h | Lay out galleries and service grids |
| Mobile responsive | 2 h | A site readable on phones, the majority in Côte d'Ivoire |
| Multi-page site and going live | 2 h | Publish an SME site with a real domain name |
Mini case study
Yao, 22, a computer science BTS student in San-Pédro, pays 50,000 FCFA for the course via Orange Money. He codes his first site for his aunt's restaurant, then shows it to a hotel in the Bardot district, which orders a 5-page site for 250,000 FCFA. With 30,000 FCFA of domain and hosting rebilled, and about 15 hours of work, he keeps 250,000 FCFA of income. The course pays for itself 5 times over with the first contract, as an order of magnitude and with no guarantee of landing a client that fast.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
FAQ
Do I need a computer to learn HTML and CSS?
Yes, it is strongly recommended for comfortable coding. A second-hand laptop at 100,000 to 180,000 FCFA is enough, since HTML and CSS need little power.
How long before I can bill a first website?
Count 4 to 8 weeks from starting the course to a presentable first site, practicing 1 hour a day. The first contract often comes through family or a neighborhood business.
Are HTML and CSS enough to become a web developer?
They are enough to deliver showcase sites at 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA. For interactive sites and applications, the track continues with JavaScript then React, over 5 levels in total.
Why not just use WordPress?
WordPress is useful, but knowing HTML and CSS lets you fix a theme, build a lighter site suited to 3G, and stand out from competitors.
Can I take the course from Côte d'Ivoire?
Yes, it is 100% online. The 50,000 FCFA fee is paid via Wave or Orange Money and the 12 hours are self-paced.
Take the next step. Enroll in HTML and CSS: build and lay out a real website: 12 h online, taught in French, 50,000 FCFA (76 EUR), verifiable 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.
