The verdict in three sentences
WordPress is still the shortest path to a first paid brochure site, billed at roughly 150,000 to 600,000 FCFA freelance, but it hits a ceiling as soon as an SME asks for online ordering, appointment booking or an admin area. React and Next.js open up those applications, which the Kolonell syllabus prices at 400,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA (about 610 to 1,830 EUR) for an SME in Dakar or Abidjan, provided you master JavaScript first. If you can already write functions, use map and filter and call an API with fetch, Kolonell Academy's level 4 Intermediate course (100,000 FCFA, 24 hours) is the logical step; otherwise, start with level 3 JavaScript (75,000 FCFA).
WordPress or React and Next.js: what each skill lets you sell
In Thiès, demand for brochure sites is still there: restaurants, private schools, clinics, craftspeople. But SMEs no longer ask for a showcase only. They want to take orders, manage bookings, check a dashboard. That is where the difference between the two skills becomes concrete.
| Criterion | WordPress | React and Next.js |
|---|---|---|
| Typical projects | Brochure site, blog, small catalog | Online ordering, booking, protected area, dashboard |
| Freelance price (2026 order of magnitude) | 150,000 to 600,000 FCFA | 400,000 to 1,200,000 FCFA for an SME application |
| Required foundations | Little code, lots of configuration | Solid HTML, CSS and JavaScript |
| Time to a first deliverable project | A few weeks | Several months if starting from scratch |
| Local competition | Strong, many profiles | Weaker, rarer profiles |
| Maintenance | Plugin updates, frequent vulnerabilities | Code you control, automated tests |
| Salaried path | Integrator, webmaster | Junior front-end or full-stack developer, 200,000 to 400,000 FCFA a month in Dakar |
The two are not necessarily opposed. Many freelancers start with WordPress to land their first contracts, then move up to React and Next.js for better-paid projects. The real question is your starting point: without JavaScript, React will stay out of reach.
What you learn at level 4, and what belongs to level 5
The React and Next.js course for building modern web applications is level 4 Intermediate, 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR), 24 hours, taught in French. Format: text lessons, code exercises whose logic (cart totals, validation, reducers) is tested automatically in the browser, a PDF handout and a quiz per module, and one project to submit per module. The tools are the ones the market uses: React 19, Next.js 15, Vite, Node 22, Zod, Vitest, Testing Library, Lighthouse, Vercel, Git and GitHub.
| Module | Project to submit |
|---|---|
| 1. Getting started with React: components, JSX and props (free preview) | The Chez Fatou restaurant menu in Thiès as components |
| 2. State and events | The interactive cart with total and delivery fee |
| 3. Lists, forms and validation | The validated order form |
| 4. Effects, data and custom hooks | The daily menu loaded from an API |
| 5. Global state and architecture | The complete ordering app with a persistent cart |
| 6. Next.js: App Router, server rendering and SEO | The Next.js site of the Awa Beauté salon in Dakar |
| 7. Server Actions, server validation and authentication | Online booking and the protected manager area |
| 8. Testing, performance and production | Final project: the app tested and live |
To be precise about the limits: projects with a database, payments and a full API belong to level 5, Full-stack JavaScript developer. Level 4 lets you deliver interfaces and Next.js applications with server forms and protected pages; it does not make you a full-stack developer. TypeScript is not required: modules 1 to 5 are in JavaScript, then the Next.js examples use light TypeScript, explained along the way.
What each path costs
| Path | 2026 price (order of magnitude) | Indicative duration |
|---|---|---|
| Free WordPress tutorials | 0 FCFA, excluding data and premium theme | A few weeks |
| Kolonell level 3 JavaScript | 75,000 FCFA | Prerequisite for level 4 if you don't know JavaScript |
| Kolonell level 4 React and Next.js | 100,000 FCFA, 24 hours | 5 to 6 weeks at 4 or 5 hours a week |
| Levels 3 and 4 bought separately | 175,000 FCFA | 2 to 3 months |
| Full Web development track (5 levels) | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 | From HTML to full-stack |
| In-person web development bootcamp in Dakar | 500,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA | Several months, fixed hours |
The Web development track has the advantage of chaining everything, from HTML and CSS up to level 5 full-stack. For hardware, you need a computer with Node 22, VS Code, Git and Google Chrome; 8 GB of RAM is enough, and with 4 GB you should close Chrome during builds.
Mini case study
Consider a hypothetical learner: Cheikh, 22, a computer science student in Thiès, sells WordPress sites for about 200,000 FCFA to downtown shopkeepers. He already knows JavaScript and wants to offer an ordering app to a local restaurant.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
He takes level 4 for 100,000 FCFA over six weeks. Illustrative calculation: a single ordering app billed at 400,000 FCFA, the low end of the syllabus range, would cover the course four times, versus twice for a 200,000 FCFA WordPress site. If he first needed level 3, the total spend would be 175,000 FCFA, still covered by such a contract. This scenario remains hypothetical: finding the client, negotiating and delivering are up to him, and no contract is guaranteed.
FAQ
Do I need to take level 3 JavaScript first?
It is recommended. If you can already write functions, use map and filter, manipulate the DOM and call an API with fetch, you can start directly at level 4 for 100,000 FCFA.
Why React and Next.js rather than Vue or Angular?
React is the most requested library in internship and contract listings in francophone Africa and Europe in 2026, and Next.js is the most used framework to ship it to production. The concepts transfer later to Vue or Svelte.
Are the code exercises checked?
Logic exercises (cart, validation, reducers) are tested automatically in the browser. React and Next.js concepts are checked through the quizzes and the eight end-of-module projects.
How much time per week?
Plan 4 to 5 hours a week for 5 to 6 weeks, projects included. The final project alone takes about 4 hours.
How do I pay and get the certificate?
With Wave or Orange Money to +221 77 596 93 33; access is activated within 24 working hours, for life, and is no longer refundable once activated, so try the free module 1 first. The numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online with a QR code and ready for LinkedIn, is earned with at least 70% on the module quizzes; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer.
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Take the next step. Enroll in React and Next.js: building modern web applications: 24 hours, 100,000 FCFA (about 152 EUR), 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.
