Learn to code in Thiès: where to start and what it costs (2026)

The verdict in three sentences

If you are a student or young graduate in Thiès and have never written a line of code, the first step is neither a bootcamp in Dakar at 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA nor hundreds of hours of random tutorials: it is understanding how a website works, in a few hours, to find out whether you like the job. Kolonell Academy's Discover Code course, level 1, 25,000 FCFA (about 38 EUR), payable with Wave or Orange Money, does exactly that. After that, the full web development track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 and leads towards a first junior job paying roughly 250,000 to 450,000 FCFA a month.

Why start small, even with big ambitions

In Thiès, between Iba Der Thiam University, the Polytechnic School and private institutes, many students hear about web development as a career of the future. The classic trap: enrolling in a long, expensive course before checking that you enjoy spending an hour hunting a bug. A short discovery step limits the risk.

A bootcamp is not a bad option, but it pays off better for someone who already knows they want the job. For a complete beginner, 25,000 FCFA to decide is the price of a few days of Thiès to Dakar transport.

What you learn in a first coding module

The Discover Code course: understand how a website works starts from zero. It is taught in French. You see what happens when you type an address in a browser, the difference between HTML, CSS and JavaScript, what a server and a database are, and you write your first lines in a page that actually displays. No powerful computer needed: an entry-level laptop is enough, and part of the lessons work on a phone.

The logical next steps are in the Web Development track, level by level:

Total bought separately: 450,000 FCFA. As a full track: 350,000 FCFA. The first two levels are already enough to build small sites for shops in Thiès, billed by a beginner at roughly 50,000 to 150,000 FCFA.

How long before a first income

Let's be honest: nobody becomes a developer in 6 hours. The benchmarks below are estimates for someone studying 8 to 10 h a week.

Mini case study

Moussa, 22, maths graduate in Thiès, hesitates between a bootcamp in Dakar at 900,000 FCFA and a step-by-step approach. He starts with Discover Code at 25,000 FCFA, paid with Orange Money. Two weeks later he knows he likes it and takes the full track by adding 325,000 FCFA, i.e. 350,000 FCFA in total for the 5 levels.

• Saving compared to the bootcamp: 900,000 minus 350,000, i.e. 550,000 FCFA, not counting about 150,000 FCFA of transport and housing in Dakar.
• If he lands a junior job at 300,000 FCFA a month, the training pays for itself in just over one month of salary.

Illustrative scenario: the timeline depends on the work put in and the local market, nothing is guaranteed.

FAQ

Do you need to be good at maths to learn to code?

No, web development mostly requires logic and persistence. Level 1 lasts 6 h and lets you check in one to two weeks whether you enjoy it, for 25,000 FCFA.

What equipment do I need?

A second-hand laptop at 120,000 to 200,000 FCFA is enough for the first levels. A mobile data plan of a few gigabytes a month lets you follow the lessons.

Can I pay with Wave from Thiès?

Yes, enrollment is paid with Wave or Orange Money, no bank card needed. You can pay level by level or take the track at 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000.

Is there a certificate?

Each course gives a completion certificate after you pass the quizzes. For an employer, your portfolio of 3 to 5 projects will count more, and the track helps you build it.

Is a bootcamp useless?

No, it can speed up an already motivated profile. But at 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA, it is better to go after confirming your interest with a first level.

Take the next step. Enroll in Discover Code: understand how a website works: 6 h online, 25,000 FCFA (about 38 EUR), completion certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money. Questions? WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.