The verdict in three sentences
In Dakar, many assistants, sales staff and call-centre agents understand written English but freeze when they must write an email or pick up the phone. That freeze costs real opportunities: foreign clients, bilingual jobs, language bonuses. The course Office English: emails, phone calls and daily exchanges is level 2 Practical, 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR / 85 USD), with 18 hours online built around real office situations and explained in French.
Where office English makes the difference in Dakar
The port, logistics firms, airlines, hotels in the Plateau and Almadies, international NGOs and contact centres serving English-speaking customers all hire people who can handle simple exchanges in English. Nobody asks them to debate literature, only to confirm a meeting, chase an invoice or transfer a call without hesitating.
| Work situation | What you need to do | Course module | Frequency at work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduce yourself to a partner | Job, company, role in 3 sentences | Module 1 | Every new contact |
| Describe your tasks | Office vocabulary, action verbs | Module 2 | Meetings, interviews |
| Reply to a client email | Opening, request, closing phrases | Module 3 | 5 to 20 times a day |
| Take a call | Greet, put on hold, take a message | Module 4 | Several times a day |
| Join a video call | Understand, ask to repeat | Module 4 | Weekly |
| Talk with colleagues | Small talk, polite requests, follow-ups | Module 5 | Daily |
How much does professional English cost in Dakar in 2026
Dakar language institutes offer good courses, but at fixed hours and at a price that weighs on a salary of 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA. Free apps help with vocabulary, less with professional emails.
| Option | 2026 price (order of magnitude) | Format | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free apps and videos | 0 FCFA (excluding data) | Mobile, self-study | Few office emails and calls |
| International online certificates | 20,000 to 45,000 FCFA/month | All in English | Hard for a beginner |
| Language institute in Dakar | 120,000 to 250,000 FCFA per term | 2 to 3 sessions a week | Fixed hours, traffic |
| Private tutor | 5,000 to 10,000 FCFA per hour | Home or video | 90,000 to 180,000 FCFA for 18 h |
| Kolonell, Office English (level 2 Practical) | 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR) | 18 h online, explained in French | 5 modules, graded exercises, verifiable certificate |
| Full Professional English track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 (about 535 EUR) | Several months | From basics to Expert level |
The course is explained in French, with email templates and dialogues you can reuse. To move on to meetings, negotiation and presentations, the Professional English track continues with the higher levels.
What English can bring in
The amounts below are 2026 orders of magnitude seen in Dakar. They depend on the employer and on your real level, checked at interview.
| Job in Dakar | Indicative salary without English | With working English |
|---|---|---|
| Contact-centre agent | 120,000 to 180,000 FCFA/month | Bonus of 50,000 to 150,000 FCFA/month |
| Administrative assistant | 150,000 to 250,000 FCFA/month | 200,000 to 350,000 FCFA/month (bilingual role) |
| Hotel receptionist | 120,000 to 200,000 FCFA/month | Access to international hotels |
| Import-export sales | 200,000 to 350,000 FCFA/month + commission | English-speaking clients from Ghana or Nigeria |
| NGO project assistant | 250,000 to 400,000 FCFA/month | English often required at hiring |
Mini case study
Moussa, 27, an agent in a Dakar contact centre, earns 150,000 FCFA a month on a French-speaking team. The English-speaking team pays a 75,000 FCFA language bonus, but he fails the oral test. He takes the course over six weeks, 3 hours a week, replaying the phone dialogues from module 4.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
Calculation: 50,000 FCFA for the course against a 75,000 FCFA monthly bonus. If he passes the internal test, the course pays for itself in under three weeks of bonus, and the gain over a year reaches 900,000 FCFA (about 1,370 EUR). The result depends on his practice and the employer's test; nothing is guaranteed.
FAQ
What level do I need to start?
You need the basics: introducing yourself, numbers, simple sentences. If you are starting from zero, level 1 of the track, at 25,000 FCFA, is a better fit before these 18 hours.
Is the course in English or French?
Explanations are in French, templates and exercises are in English. That lets a French speaker progress without getting lost in the first lesson.
How much time per week should I plan?
At 3 hours a week, the 18 hours are done in six weeks. Practising the dialogues for 15 minutes a day clearly improves speaking.
Is the full track worth it?
The 5-level Professional English track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA, a saving of 100,000 FCFA, still below two terms at an institute.
How do I pay?
With Wave or Orange Money from your phone. Access opens as soon as the 50,000 FCFA payment is confirmed.
Take the next step. Enroll in Office English: emails, phone calls and daily exchanges: 18 h online, explained in French, 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR / 85 USD), 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.
