The verdict in three sentences
If you can already write HTML, CSS and JavaScript, learning React and Next.js is the step that separates a page integrator from the app developer that Dakar SMEs and start-ups hire. The Kolonell course costs 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR) for 24 hours, while a Dakar bootcamp charges 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA. As a 2026 order of magnitude, a junior front-end developer earns 300,000 to 600,000 FCFA a month in Dakar, and a freelance project bills 400,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA.
Why React and Next.js in 2026
In Dakar, SMEs no longer ask only for a showcase website. A shop wants online ordering, a clinic wants appointment booking, a restaurant wants an admin area. These apps are now built with React for the interface and Next.js for server rendering, SEO and production deployment. Internship and job offers from Senegalese tech start-ups mention React in the large majority of front-end roles.
What you learn at each step of the track:
| Level | What you can do | Typical project |
|---|---|---|
| HTML and CSS | responsive static pages | simple showcase site |
| JavaScript | interactions, forms, API calls with fetch | lively site, mini tools |
| React | components, state, hooks, validated forms | online ordering interface |
| Next.js | App Router, Server Components, Server Actions, SEO | online booking app |
| Full-stack | database, API, payments, deployment | complete platform with Wave or Orange Money |
Comparing options and earnings
There are three ways to learn React in Dakar: free online resources, in-person bootcamps and a short structured course. Free content is excellent but requires rare discipline and gives no feedback or reviewed project. A bootcamp provides structure, but ties up several months and a large budget.
| Option (2026) | Price | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| YouTube tutorials and documentation | 0 FCFA | 3 to 6 months self-paced | no reviewed project |
| International online certificates | 25,000 to 60,000 FCFA a month | 2 to 4 months | certificate, generic projects |
| In-person bootcamp in Dakar | 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA | 3 to 6 months | team projects, local network |
| Kolonell React and Next.js course | 100,000 FCFA | 24 hours | two live apps, certificate |
| Full Web Development track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | progressive | full-stack portfolio |
The React and Next.js course for building modern web apps, taught in French, is level 4 of the track, 100,000 FCFA. You build two SME apps: online ordering for a restaurant in Thiès with React, then booking for a beauty salon in Dakar with Next.js, tested and deployed. If you are starting further back, the Web Development track chains all 5 levels for 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000.
| Earnings in Dakar (2026 order of magnitude) | Range |
|---|---|
| Front-end developer internship | 100,000 to 200,000 FCFA a month |
| Junior front-end developer (0 to 2 years) | 300,000 to 600,000 FCFA a month |
| Experienced React developer (3+ years) | 700,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA a month |
| Freelance project: SME booking app | 400,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA |
| Freelance project: app with admin area and API | 1,200,000 to 2,000,000 FCFA |
| Realistic time to first income | 2 to 4 months after the course |
These figures are not guaranteed: they depend on your portfolio, consistency and network.
Mini case study
Ibrahima, 23, a computer science graduate in Dakar, does HTML and CSS integration for 150,000 FCFA a month as an intern. He takes the React and Next.js course for 100,000 FCFA and publishes both apps on GitHub and online.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
Three months later, he lands a junior front-end developer job at 350,000 FCFA a month. The monthly gain is 200,000 FCFA: the course pays for itself in under three weeks of extra salary. In parallel, a first freelance project, a booking app for a salon in Mermoz, brings him 500,000 FCFA over two months of evenings and weekends.
FAQ
What level do I need for the React and Next.js course?
You need JavaScript basics: functions, arrays, objects, DOM and fetch. It is level 4 of the track, after level 3 on JavaScript.
How much does the course cost and how do I pay?
It costs 100,000 FCFA for 24 hours, with a Kolonell Academy certificate. You pay with Wave or Orange Money.
How much does a junior React developer earn in Dakar in 2026?
As an order of magnitude, 300,000 to 600,000 FCFA a month, often after an internship at 100,000 to 200,000 FCFA. Fast-growing start-ups pay the top of the range.
Can I freelance after the course?
Yes, for ordering or booking apps billed 400,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA. Projects with a database, payments and API belong to level 5 Full-stack.
Should I take the full track instead?
If you are new to HTML or JavaScript, yes: the 5 levels cost 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000. If you already master JavaScript, level 4 alone is enough to start.
Take the next step. Enroll in React and Next.js: building modern web apps: 24 hours, 100,000 FCFA, Kolonell Academy certificate and two portfolio apps, 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.
