The verdict in three sentences
In Thiès, many shop owners and young graduates already sell online without calling it that: photos on WhatsApp, Facebook messages, Wave payments arriving here and there. What is missing is organization: a clear catalog, delivery costs built into the price and payment collected before shipping. The Kolonell course "E-commerce : vendre en ligne au Sénégal et en Afrique francophone" costs 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR / 82 USD) for 12 hours and pays for itself, as a 2026 order of magnitude, with a few dozen well-priced orders.
The costly mistakes beginners make
Beginner sellers rarely lose money on the product. They lose it on everything else: free delivery offered without calculation, orders reserved then cancelled, unplanned returns, boosted posts with no goal. On a 12,000 FCFA order delivered to Dakar, a 3,000 FCFA delivery offered to the customer already represents 25% of the basket.
| Item (2026 order of magnitude) | Improvised selling on WhatsApp | Organized selling after the course |
|---|---|---|
| Thiès-Dakar delivery | 2,000 to 3,500 FCFA often free | Built into the price or clearly charged |
| Delivery within Thiès | 1,000 to 1,500 FCFA, left out of the math | Flat rate shown by neighborhood |
| Cancellation rate at delivery | 15 to 30% | 5 to 10% with a Wave or Orange Money deposit |
| Customer response time | Several hours | Quick replies and WhatsApp Business catalog |
| Net margin per order | 5 to 15% | 25 to 35% target |
| Sales tracking | None or a paper notebook | Simple sheet of orders, stock, payments |
The course starts from what you already do. It does not ask you to build an expensive website: the stated goal is a first online order paid by Wave within 30 days, using the tools you already have.
How much does an e-commerce course cost in Thiès in 2026?
| Option | Indicative 2026 price | Format | Strengths and limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kolonell course, level 2 Practical | 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR) | 12 h online, self-paced | Built for Senegal: Wave, Orange Money, delivery, WhatsApp, certificate |
| Full E-commerce and online selling track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 (about 534 EUR) | Level 1 to level 5 | Up to stock management and growth |
| Local in-person training | 75,000 to 150,000 FCFA | 2 to 5 days, fixed hours | Human contact, but you must close the shop |
| One-off NGO or chamber of commerce workshop | 0 to 25,000 FCFA | Half a day | Good introduction, little follow-up |
| Free YouTube videos | 0 FCFA | Scattered | Often designed for Europe, bank cards, Shopify in dollars |
The e-commerce course to sell online in Senegal (taught in French) is level 2 Practical of the E-commerce and online selling track. If you want to go further afterwards (stock, logistics, full online store), the 5-level track costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 FCFA bought one by one.
What you learn in 12 hours
| Block | What you set up | Concrete result |
|---|---|---|
| Product choice and pricing | Purchase cost, delivery, margin calculation | A selling price that leaves 25 to 35% net |
| Sales channel | WhatsApp Business catalog, clean Facebook or Instagram page | Customers who order without 20 messages |
| Payment | Wave and Orange Money, deposit before shipping | Fewer cancellations and unpaid orders |
| Delivery | Price grid for Thiès, Dakar, regions, courier choice | Controlled, announced fees |
| Customer service and returns | Template messages, simple return rules | Customers who come back and refer others |
| Tracking | Orders, stock and revenue sheet | Knowing what really makes money |
Mini case study
Ndèye, 27, sells wax fabric and bags from her neighborhood in Thiès (Grand Thiès), mostly through WhatsApp. She handles about 40 orders a month at 12,000 FCFA on average, or 480,000 FCFA in sales, but often offers free delivery to Dakar and keeps barely 10% net margin, about 48,000 FCFA.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
After the course, she builds 2,500 FCFA of delivery into her Dakar prices, asks for a Wave deposit and cuts cancellations. Her net margin climbs to 28%, about 134,000 FCFA on the same volume. The monthly gain is about 86,000 FCFA: the 50,000 FCFA course is covered in less than three weeks. This calculation is a 2026 order of magnitude, to adjust to your products and volumes.
FAQ
Do I need a website to take the course?
No. The course starts from WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, with Wave and Orange Money payments. The goal is a first paid order within 30 days, without spending 300,000 FCFA or more on a website from day one.
I do not have a product yet, is it too early?
You can take it, one module helps you pick products and calculate your price. You will still need a small starting stock, often 50,000 to 150,000 FCFA depending on the product.
How much time per week does it take?
The 12 hours fit into 3 to 4 weeks at 3 to 4 hours a week, on a phone or a computer.
How do I pay for enrollment?
By Wave or Orange Money: 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR) for this level, or 350,000 FCFA (about 534 EUR) for the full 5-level track instead of 450,000 FCFA.
Will I definitely earn more?
No course can guarantee that. The 25 to 35% margins quoted are a benchmark for well-chosen products, not a promise. The course gives you the method to calculate and decide.
Take the next step. Enroll in E-commerce: sell online in Senegal and francophone Africa: 12 hours online, taught in French, 50,000 FCFA (about 76 EUR / 82 USD), Kolonell Academy 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.
