The verdict in three sentences
If you discovered coding in Mbour or Saly and want to deliver real websites, HTML and CSS are the foundation to master before anything else. A structured 12-hour course at 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR) gets you to a presentable site faster than a year of uncorrected YouTube videos, and costs three to six times less than classroom training. With a first showcase site billed 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA to a Petite-Côte hotel or guesthouse, the investment can pay for itself with your first client, with no guaranteed timeline.
Why HTML and CSS first, and why in Mbour
HTML structures the page (headings, text, images, forms) and CSS styles it (colours, columns, phone layout). Without these two languages, WordPress, JavaScript or React stay black boxes. The Petite-Côte is a concrete market to start: hotels and lodges in Saly, furnished apartments, beach restaurants, car rental agencies, private schools in Mbour. Many only have a Facebook page and lose bookings from tourists searching on Google.
| Way to learn | 2026 price | Duration | Feedback and support | Certificate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free YouTube and tutorials | 0 FCFA (excluding data) | 3 to 12 months, highly variable | None | No |
| Free online certificates (freeCodeCamp type) | 0 FCFA | 2 to 6 months | Forum, in English | Yes, in English |
| Classroom course in Mbour, Thiès or Dakar | 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA | 1 to 3 months, fixed hours | Yes | Depends on centre |
| Kolonell HTML and CSS course (level 2 Practical) | 50,000 FCFA (76 EUR) | 12 h, self-paced | Quizzes, exercises, project | Yes |
| Full Kolonell Web Development track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | 103 h in total | Guided progression | Yes, per level |
The recommended course is HTML and CSS: build and lay out a real website, level 2 Practical, 50,000 FCFA for 12 hours, taught in French. If you start from zero, level 1 Essential, Discover code (25,000 FCFA, 6 h), prepares the ground. The Web Development track then moves on to JavaScript, React and Next.js, up to the full-stack developer job.
What you will be able to do, and what it pays
At the end of this level, you can build a home page, a rooms or menu page, a photo gallery, a contact form and a WhatsApp button, with a layout that adapts to phones. That is exactly what a small Saly hotel or a Mbour restaurant asks for. The amounts below are 2026 orders of magnitude seen on the Petite-Côte and in Dakar, not guaranteed income.
| Service for a local client | 2026 price billed | Working time | Required level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single page (restaurant, car rental) | 50,000 to 100,000 FCFA | 1 to 3 days | HTML and CSS |
| 4 to 6 page showcase site (hotel, guesthouse) | 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA | 1 to 2 weeks | HTML and CSS |
| Monthly updates (rates, photos, seasons) | 15,000 to 30,000 FCFA per month | 2 to 4 h | HTML and CSS |
| .com domain and hosting (re-billed) | 25,000 to 50,000 FCFA per year | 1 h of setup | HTML and CSS |
| Site with interactive booking | 300,000 FCFA and up | 3 to 4 weeks | JavaScript (level 3) |
| Internship or junior job in a Dakar agency | 100,000 to 200,000 FCFA per month | Full time | Portfolio of 2 to 3 sites |
The most useful asset for a first client: a portfolio of two or three sites built during the course, for example a mock-up for a fictional Saly lodge and another for a Mbour fish restaurant.
Mini case study
Moussa, 21, holds a science baccalaureate, lives in Mbour and works weekends in a Saly guesthouse. He takes the HTML and CSS course (50,000 FCFA) over 4 weeks, 3 hours a week, with about 10,000 FCFA of mobile data. Total cost: 60,000 FCFA. He then offers the guesthouse a 5-page site at 150,000 FCFA, plus 20,000 FCFA a month for updates. The first contract covers the course 2.5 times; even at 100,000 FCFA, 40,000 FCFA remain after payback. Over a year, with two sites and one maintenance contract, the order of magnitude reaches 540,000 FCFA, provided he finds the clients, which takes prospecting.
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 powerful computer to learn HTML and CSS?
No, a second-hand laptop at around 120,000 FCFA is enough, with a browser and a free code editor. The phone is for testing the mobile display, not for coding.
How long before I can build a presentable site?
The course lasts 12 hours; at 3 hours a week, allow 4 weeks to finish, then 1 to 2 weeks for a first complete 4 to 6 page site.
Is the certificate recognised by employers?
The Kolonell Academy certificate shows the level completed, but in Mbour as in Dakar, a client or agency first looks at your 2 or 3 live projects. Certificate and portfolio work together.
Should I learn WordPress instead?
WordPress is useful, but someone who knows HTML and CSS fixes a theme in 30 minutes where others get stuck. Starting with the basics avoids depending on a 30,000 FCFA template.
How do I pay from Mbour?
Payment is by Wave or Orange Money, 50,000 FCFA in one go, and access opens as soon as it is confirmed.
Take the next step. Enroll in HTML and CSS: build and lay out a real website: 12 hours, 50,000 FCFA, Kolonell Academy certificate on completion, 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.
