The verdict in three sentences
In a Dakar travel agency or tour operator, every English call left unanswered is a booking that goes to a competitor: tourists, NGO missions, business travellers. A bilingual office profile pays roughly 220,000 to 380,000 FCFA a month, compared with 150,000 to 250,000 FCFA for a French-only role. The Kolonell Office English course costs 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR or 83 USD) for 18 hours, the price of five hours of private lessons.
Why office English pays off in Dakar tourism
Senegalese tourism relies partly on English-speaking customers: American and British visitors to Gorée Island and the Petite-Côte, delegations from international organisations, conference participants at the CICAD in Diamniadio, travellers from Ghana or Nigeria. For a booking agent, the goal is not to speak like a native but to handle four situations without panicking: answering and taking a message, confirming a booking by email, announcing a schedule change, responding to a complaint.
| Common agency situation | Without English | With office English | Estimated impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incoming call from an English-speaking client | Transfer to a colleague or missed call | Full message taken, call-back promised | 1 to 3 bookings saved per month |
| Email asking for a tour | Machine translation, reply in 2 days | Reply in 1 hour with an adapted template | Higher conversion rate |
| Flight or schedule change | Vague message, worried client | Clear sentence, alternative offered | Fewer complaints |
| Welcoming an NGO delegation | Dependence on a guide | Simple welcome and briefing in English | Account retention |
| Chasing an unpaid deposit | No follow-up | Polite, firm email | Steadier cash flow |
Comparing options to learn English in Dakar
| Option | 2026 cost (order of magnitude) | Volume | Strength | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kolonell Academy, Office English | 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR) | 18 h online | Ready-to-use email templates and phone dialogues | Requires regular practice |
| Private lessons at home | 10,000 FCFA per hour, so 180,000 FCFA for 18 h | Variable | One-to-one speaking | High cost, not office-focused |
| Language institute (one term) | 150,000 to 300,000 FCFA | 30 to 40 h | Structure and fixed hours | Hard to fit with agency shifts |
| Free apps | 0 to 5,000 FCFA per month | Unlimited | Everyday vocabulary | Nothing on professional email or phone |
| Full Professional English track | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | 5 levels | Beginner to expert | Long commitment |
The Office English course: emails, phone calls and daily exchanges is level 2 (beginner) of the track, at 50,000 FCFA, and it is taught in French. It starts with introducing yourself and your company, then moves on to request, follow-up and reply emails, taking phone messages and setting up appointments. If you are starting from zero, level 1 costs 25,000 FCFA; the whole Professional English track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA (about 534 EUR instead of 686 EUR).
What you will be able to do after 18 hours
| Skill | Concrete example in a travel agency |
|---|---|
| Introduce yourself in 30 seconds | "Good morning, Teranga Travel, this is Mariama speaking, how can I help you?" |
| Take and pass on a message | Note name, number, flight, date and call back within the hour |
| Write a confirmation email | Summary of hotel, transfer, amount and deposit |
| Handle a change | Announce a delay and offer an alternative |
| Set up an appointment | Agree a pick-up time at AIBD airport |
Mini case study
Mariama, 25, has a degree in tourism and works as a booking agent in an agency in the Plateau. She earns 180,000 FCFA a month and lets her bilingual colleagues handle English calls, which make up about 20% of requests.
- Cost: 50,000 FCFA, paid with Wave.
- Time: 18 hours over four weeks, 30 minutes a day on the bus and in the evening.
- Expected effect: she handles her English-speaking files herself and wins two tours a month at 450,000 FCFA, on which the agency pays her a 3% bonus, so 27,000 FCFA.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
At that pace, the course pays for itself in under two months of bonuses. And if the agency moves her to a bilingual role at 240,000 FCFA, the gain reaches 60,000 FCFA a month. These amounts are orders of magnitude and depend on the agency's policy.
FAQ
Do I need to speak some English already?
You need the basics: introducing yourself, numbers, telling the time. The course is level 2 of 5; if those basics are missing, start with level 1 at 25,000 FCFA.
How long before I dare answer the phone in English?
Most learners use the first greeting phrases in week one. To finish the 18 hours, allow 4 to 6 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
Is the course suited to tourism?
It is designed for office work in general: emails, phone, appointments. These are exactly the situations of a travel agency, and the templates adapt by changing a few words.
Can I follow it on my phone?
Yes, the course works on a smartphone and stays available online, so you can progress between clients or while commuting.
How do I pay?
The course costs 50,000 FCFA, payable with Wave or Orange Money. For any question before enrolling, message +221 77 596 93 33 on WhatsApp.
Take the next step. Enroll in Office English: emails, phone calls and daily exchanges: 18 hours online, 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR), Kolonell certificate. 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.
