The verdict in three sentences
If you already have basic English (A1 level) and English emails or calls land on your desk in Abidjan, you do not need to restart grammar from scratch: you need ready-to-use templates. The Kolonell Academy Office English course (level 2 Beginner, 50,000 FCFA, about 76 EUR / 83 USD, 12 hours), taught in French, has you build a kit of eight model emails and your phone scripts, in text format, on a phone or a computer. As a rough 2026 estimate it costs two to five times less than a term at a language institute, but it requires discipline: no teacher in a classroom, no live class.
Why office English matters in Abidjan in 2026
The port of Abidjan, freight forwarders, hotels in Plateau and Marcory, NGOs and companies working with Ghana, Nigeria or the Gulf receive English messages every week. The pattern is familiar: the email goes into a translator, the reply comes back in French or gets forwarded to a colleague, and the phone showing +234 or +44 rings unanswered.
The course program gives a cautious order of magnitude: in Côte d'Ivoire and Senegal, an assistant or administrative officer able to handle emails and calls in English is usually hired at 30,000 to 80,000 FCFA more per month (about 46 to 122 EUR) than a French-only profile, in NGOs, logistics, hospitality and companies dealing with English-speaking countries. The amount depends on the sector and the employer, and no job or salary is guaranteed.
| Role in Abidjan | Daily use of English | Possible monthly gap (2026 estimate) |
|---|---|---|
| Executive assistant | Supplier emails, schedule, welcoming visitors | 30,000 to 80,000 FCFA |
| Freight forwarding / customs agent | Shipping line emails, container tracking, calls to Lagos or Accra | 30,000 to 80,000 FCFA |
| Hotel receptionist | Front desk, phone, bookings | 30,000 to 60,000 FCFA |
| Customer service officer | Written replies, call transfers | 30,000 to 60,000 FCFA |
| NGO administrative officer | Donor correspondence, short reports | 40,000 to 80,000 FCFA |
| Trader or entrepreneur | English-speaking clients and suppliers | No salary gap, access to new clients |
These ranges spread the program's stated bracket across roles for illustration only: it varies by profile and no income is guaranteed.
What you learn in the five modules
The program of the Office English course: emails, phone calls and daily exchanges (taught in French) has five modules. Each lesson includes the vocabulary of the day, a model dialogue or email set in a fictional company in Dakar or Abidjan, grammar explanations in French and exercises corrected online. Each module has its PDF handout and its quiz.
| Module | Content | What you produce |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Introducing yourself and your company (free) | 30-second introduction, welcoming a foreign visitor | Your professional introduction |
| 2. Office vocabulary | Present continuous, schedule, verbs send, check, schedule, follow up | Your 200-word office glossary |
| 3. Simple emails | Structure, requests, confirmations, thanks, quick reading | Project: your kit of eight model emails |
| 4. Phone, video calls and messages | Answering, taking a message, spelling, transferring, calling back | Your phone scripts and message form |
| 5. Questions and exchanges | Could, would, do you know, simple past, small talk | Your notebook of 50 phrases |
The final project is your "office English" file with two recorded mock calls: you need a microphone (your phone's is enough) and a partner, a colleague or relative, to play the caller. The tools are ones you already use: Gmail, Outlook, WhatsApp Business, Google Meet, Zoom, the online Cambridge Dictionary and Anki for revision.
What it costs: Kolonell, institute or free
| Option in Abidjan | Price (2026 estimate) | Format | What is often missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolonell Academy, level 2 | 50,000 FCFA, lifetime access | Text, PDF, corrected exercises, quizzes, 12 h | No live teacher |
| Business English at an institute | 100,000 to 250,000 FCFA per term | Classroom, fixed hours | Commuting, hours that clash with work |
| Private tutor at home | 10,000 to 20,000 FCFA per session | Personalised speaking | High cost over time |
| Free apps and videos | 0 FCFA | General vocabulary | Rarely focused on emails and switchboard |
| Full Kolonell track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | From beginner to advanced business English | Longer commitment |
This course is level 2 of the Business English track, after level 1 (Beginner English) and before level 3 (Conversational English). If you are unsure of your level, module 1 is free to preview before paying.
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.
Consider a hypothetical learner: Aya, 27, an assistant at a freight forwarding company in Treichville. She receives about ten English emails a week and spends around 20 minutes on each with a translator, more than 3 hours a week.
Illustrative calculation: the course costs 50,000 FCFA. At three hours a week, she finishes it in four to five weeks. If her email kit brings each reply down to 5 or 10 minutes, she saves about 2 hours a week. And if she later applies for a better-paid role requiring English, a gap of 30,000 FCFA a month would pay back the course in under two months. This is only a hypothetical calculation, not a promised result.
FAQ
Is my English level high enough to start?
Yes, if you can introduce yourself in a few sentences, spell your name and use the simple present (A1 level). If not, start with level 1 Beginner English, at 25,000 FCFA. The price of a level you bought is deducted if you then take the full track at 350,000 FCFA.
How much time should I plan?
About 12 hours: just over 6 hours of lessons, plus exercises and the two projects (one hour for the email kit, two hours for the final file). At 3 hours a week, allow four to five weeks.
How do I pay from Abidjan?
With Wave or Orange Money, at +221 77 596 93 33. You receive a pro forma invoice when you enroll and access is activated within 24 working hours after payment. The course is no longer refundable once access is activated, which is why trying the free module 1 first makes sense.
Does the certificate replace TOEIC or IELTS?
No. You get a numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online (QR code), that you can add to LinkedIn, after passing the module quizzes with at least 70 %; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer. It certifies a completed course, not an official level.
Are there live classes or a teacher?
No. The format relies on written lessons, PDF handouts, exercises corrected online, quizzes and two projects. For questions, you have the course forum and WhatsApp support. Everything works on a phone over 3G, with no app to install.
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Take the next step. Enroll in Office English: emails, phone calls and daily exchanges: 12 hours, 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR), numbered Kolonell Academy certificate verifiable online. 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.
