The verdict in three sentences
For a high school graduate or student in Ouagadougou with no background at all, the worst mistake is paying for a bootcamp costing hundreds of thousands of FCFA before knowing whether they actually enjoy development. The right order: understand in a few hours how a website works (HTML, CSS, browser, server), write your first page, then decide. A short first course at 25,000 FCFA is a low-risk test before a heavier investment.
Where to start: a beginner's realistic path
Learning to code happens in stages. The first weeks decide whether you continue, which is why starting small makes sense.
| Stage | What you learn | Indicative duration | Possible cost 2026 | Concrete result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Understand the web | Browser, server, domain name, HTML, CSS | 6 h | 25,000 FCFA | A first page online |
| 2. Build pages | Solid HTML and CSS, responsive layout | 30 to 60 h | 0 to 75,000 FCFA | A small personal site |
| 3. Add interactivity | JavaScript, forms, logic | 60 to 120 h | 50,000 to 150,000 FCFA | A simple application |
| 4. Real projects | Framework, database, Git | 3 to 6 months | Varies | 2 to 3 portfolio projects |
| 5. First income | Internship, small gigs, junior job | 6 to 12 months after starting | - | 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA a month |
These durations are orders of magnitude for someone practising 8 to 10 hours a week. With less time, everything takes longer, and that is normal.
What learning costs and what the job pays
| Option | Cost | Duration | Suits a complete beginner | Risk if you don't enjoy coding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regional in-person bootcamp | 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA | 3 to 6 months | Yes, but intense pace | High |
| Training centre in Ouagadougou | 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA | 2 to 4 months | Varies | Medium |
| Free resources (YouTube, freeCodeCamp) | 0 FCFA | Unlimited | Yes, if very self-driven | Low, but frequent dropout |
| Kolonell Academy, level 1 Essentials | 25,000 FCFA | 6 h | Yes, designed for zero background | Very low |
On the income side, here is what we see as a 2026 order of magnitude in Burkina Faso, with no guarantee: everything depends on your portfolio and network.
| Profile | Estimated monthly income in Ouagadougou | Typical time from start |
|---|---|---|
| Developer intern | 50,000 to 100,000 FCFA | 6 to 9 months |
| Salaried junior developer | 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA | 9 to 18 months |
| Beginner freelancer (showcase sites) | 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA per site, irregular | 12 months or more |
| Experienced developer | 350,000 to 700,000 FCFA | 3 to 5 years |
| Remote developer for foreign clients | 500,000 FCFA and up | Varies, English required |
The recommended first step
The Kolonell Academy Discover code course, taught in French, is level 1 Essentials, at 25,000 FCFA (about 38 EUR) for 6 hours: what happens when you type an address, the role of HTML and CSS, writing a first page and putting it online. It opens the Web development track, whose full 5 levels cost 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000, well below a regional bootcamp.
Equipment: a computer, even an entry-level one, is needed to write code. A smartphone is enough to watch the videos, not to practise seriously.
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.
Ibrahim, 19, a science baccalaureate holder in Ouagadougou, is torn between a 900,000 FCFA bootcamp and a computer science degree. He starts with the 6-hour course (25,000 FCFA) over a weekend. He puts his first page online and finds he enjoys it. He then continues with the full track at 350,000 FCFA, paid level by level. Calculation: had he not liked it, he would have lost 25,000 FCFA instead of 900,000. If he then lands a junior job at 200,000 FCFA a month, the whole track represents less than two months of salary.
FAQ
Do I need to be good at maths to learn to code?
No, for web development, high school maths is more than enough. Logic and patience matter more, and you build them by practising 30 minutes to 1 hour a day.
Can I learn with limited internet access?
Yes, the 6 hours of video represent about 1 to 2 GB of data. Code is then written offline in a free editor such as VS Code.
What age or diploma do I need?
No prerequisites: the course is designed for someone who has never written a line of code. It suits an 18-year-old graduate as well as an employee changing careers.
Can I earn money after 6 hours?
No. Level 1 is for understanding and deciding. It generally takes 6 to 12 months of regular practice before a first income, as an order of magnitude.
Should I learn English at the same time?
It is a real plus, since technical documentation is often in English, but it is not a prerequisite to start: the course is in French.
Take the next step. Enroll in Discover code: understand how a website works: 6 h self-paced, 25,000 FCFA, certificate included. 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.
