The verdict in three sentences
An online store selling 3 to 8 million FCFA a month in Dakar can lose money without noticing, because revenue hides acquisition costs, returns and failed deliveries. The skill that takes you to the next stage is managing by contribution margin: knowing what each delivered order really earns, channel by channel. The course Running an E-commerce Business: Margins, Acquisition and Team, taught in French, covers it in 48 hours for 200,000 FCFA (305 EUR, about 330 USD) and ends with a 12-month growth plan.
Why your revenue is misleading you
Take an average order of 18,000 FCFA. On Meta, the cost to acquire a customer in Dakar ranges in 2026 from 2,500 to 9,000 FCFA depending on the product, the season and the quality of your ads. Add the product cost, packaging, courier delivery, Wave or Orange Money fees, then returns (5 to 12% of parcels) and customers who cannot be reached at delivery. The result often surprises store owners: some of their winning orders do not even cover their direct costs.
| Cost per order (18,000 FCFA basket) | Careful scenario | Stretched scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Product purchase cost | 7,200 FCFA | 8,500 FCFA |
| Meta acquisition cost | 2,500 FCFA | 9,000 FCFA |
| Dakar delivery and packaging | 1,800 FCFA | 2,500 FCFA |
| Mobile payment fees | 180 FCFA | 180 FCFA |
| Average cost of returns (5% then 12%) | 450 FCFA | 1,300 FCFA |
| Contribution margin per order | 5,870 FCFA | minus 3,480 FCFA |
| Contribution margin as % of basket | 32.6% | negative |
These are 2026 orders of magnitude to adapt to your catalogue. The point is simple: of two stores with the same revenue, one builds cash while the other is funding its customers.
What you learn, module by module
The course is level 5, the final level of the E-commerce and online sales track. It is built for owners who already sell regularly. It includes 10 modules, 159 corrected exercises and 10 graded projects, each applied to your own business, with a fictional wax fabric brand in Dakar as the running example.
| Block | Modules | Concrete deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Diagnosis | Business diagnosis and strategy | A costed review of your store |
| Unit economics | What an order really earns | Contribution margin, lifetime value and break-even model |
| Pricing | Profitable prices, offers and promotions | Price grid with a minimum margin rule |
| Acquisition | Paid then organic, customer list, loyalty | Meta, TikTok and Google plans managed by cost per delivered order |
| Conversion | Shopping experience | Two documented A/B tests |
| Scale | Logistics, marketplaces, new cities | A scenario for opening a second city |
| Finance and team | Cash flow, legal framework, hiring | Cash plan and target org chart |
| Plan | 12-month growth | Three-scenario plan ready for a partner or a bank |
Comparing your learning options
| Option | 2026 order of magnitude | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free YouTube videos | 0 FCFA | Isolated ad tips, nothing on margin or cash |
| International online certificate | 30,000 to 120,000 FCFA | Generic content, priced in dollars, non-African examples |
| In-person seminar in Dakar | 250,000 to 600,000 FCFA | 2 to 3 days, little follow-up |
| Consultant for a diagnosis | 250,000 to 750,000 FCFA per assignment | A report, but not the method to repeat it |
| Kolonell level 5 course | 200,000 FCFA, 48 h | 10 projects on your store, verifiable certificate |
| Full 5-level track | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | From your first WhatsApp sale to running the business |
Enrollment is paid with Wave or Orange Money.
Hiring without breaking your margin
The first hire is often an e-commerce assistant, paid 150,000 to 250,000 FCFA a month in Dakar in 2026. Before signing, ask one question: how many extra delivered orders are needed to pay for this role? With a contribution margin of 5,870 FCFA, an assistant at 200,000 FCFA must generate or free up about 34 orders a month. The team module shows you how to write the job description, test candidates on a real case and set weekly indicators.
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.
Ndeye, 31, runs an online ready-to-wear store in Almadies, Dakar. She sells 5.4 million FCFA a month, or 300 orders of 18,000 FCFA. Her average acquisition cost is 6,500 FCFA and her return rate is 10%.
- Before: average contribution margin of 1,200 FCFA per order, or 360,000 FCFA a month to cover rent, an assistant and her own pay.
- After the acquisition module, she cuts her two most expensive campaigns and brings her average cost down to 4,500 FCFA. Gain: 2,000 FCFA per order.
- With the new price grid (+1,000 FCFA on best sellers) and returns down to 7%, she gains roughly another 1,500 FCFA per order.
- New margin: about 4,700 FCFA per order, or 1,410,000 FCFA a month, more than a million better.
Against the course fee of 200,000 FCFA, the investment pays back in under a week of sales in this scenario. It remains a simulation: your results depend on your product and execution, and no gain is guaranteed.
FAQ
Do I need to be selling already to take this level?
Yes, it is an advanced level for stores with regular sales, usually above 100 orders a month. If you are starting out, the full track at 350,000 FCFA begins at level 1 with selling on WhatsApp.
How much time should I plan each week?
The program totals 48 hours. At 6 hours a week, you finish in about 8 weeks while applying each project to your store.
Does it cover TikTok and Google, or only Meta?
All three channels are covered, always managed by cost per delivered order rather than cost per click. Organic acquisition and loyalty are added, which cut the average acquisition cost by 20 to 40% for many stores.
Do I get a certificate?
Yes, a Kolonell certificate verifiable online, issued once the 10 projects are validated. It helps if you aim for an e-commerce manager role, usually paid 400,000 to 900,000 FCFA a month in Dakar or Abidjan in 2026, with no job guarantee.
How do I pay?
With Wave or Orange Money, in one payment: 200,000 FCFA for this level, or 350,000 FCFA for the five levels of the track.
Take the next step. Enroll in Running an E-commerce Business: Margins, Acquisition and Team: 48 hours, 200,000 FCFA, verifiable certificate, 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.
