The verdict in three sentences
If your daily problem is stock, delivery, couriers' cash handovers and customer service, take level 4 (100,000 FCFA, 22 hours). If your store runs but you do not know how much you earn per delivered order, ads cost more every month and cash gets tight before every holiday, level 5 Advanced (200,000 FCFA, 40 hours) is for you. Both follow each other in that order in the track, but a founder who has been selling for at least six months can go straight to level 5.
Level 4 or level 5: two different jobs
Level 4, "E-commerce operations manager: stock, logistics and customer service", teaches you to run a store day to day. Level 5, Running an e-commerce business: margins, acquisition and team, taught in French, teaches you to lead a profitable business. Both are text lessons, with an exercise after each lesson, a PDF handout and a quiz per module, and one project per module.
| Criterion | Level 4 Intermediate | Level 5 Advanced |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 100,000 FCFA (152 EUR) | 200,000 FCFA (305 EUR) |
| Duration | 22 h, 8 modules | 40 h, 10 modules, 8 to 10 weeks at 4 or 5 h a week |
| Core question | How do I deliver without stock-outs, errors or cash gaps? | How much does a delivered order earn, and how do I grow without losing margin? |
| Key topics | SKUs, ABC classification, importing, picking, couriers, Wave and Orange Money reconciliation, returns | Unit economics, pricing and promotions, Meta, TikTok and Google Ads, A/B tests, cash flow, hiring |
| Prerequisites | Level 3 or three months in an online store | Level 4 or a business selling online for at least 6 months, comfort with Google Sheets |
| Typical profile | Store assistant, salesperson moving up, owner who wants structure | Founder, e-commerce manager, consultant |
A simple sign: if you cannot yet calculate your landed cost, or your couriers hand back cash with gaps every week, start with level 4. If those issues are settled, level 5 will make you work on what weighs most on profitability.
What you produce at level 5
The level 5 running example is a fictional wax-print fashion brand in Dakar opening in Abidjan; each project also applies to your own business, which is recommended. If you prefer not to expose your figures, you can multiply them by a coefficient while keeping the proportions.
| Module | Deliverable |
|---|---|
| 1 (free preview) | Strategic diagnosis, three priorities and quarterly targets |
| 2 | Unit economics model and break-even point |
| 3 | Price grid, three bundle offers, 12-month promotional calendar (Korité, Tabaski, Magal, Black Friday) |
| 4 and 5 | Paid acquisition plan with test protocol, organic acquisition and loyalty plan |
| 6 | Measured sales funnel and two documented A/B tests |
| 7 | Decision notes: logistics, marketplace, second city |
| 8 | Income statement, cash flow plan and financing plan (18 % VAT, NINEA, RCCM covered) |
| 9 and 10 | Target org chart, job description with practical test, 12-month growth plan and its presentation |
Tools used: Google Sheets, Looker Studio, Google Analytics 4, Meta Ads Manager, TikTok Ads Manager, Google Ads, Shopify, WooCommerce, WhatsApp Business, Brevo, Wave and Orange Money.
On pay, the course page states that an e-commerce manager at an SME or brand in Dakar or Abidjan usually earns 400,000 to 900,000 FCFA a month (about 610 to 1,370 EUR) depending on the size of the business, and that a consultant bills 250,000 to 750,000 FCFA per diagnosis-and-plan assignment. This is a 2026 ballpark, depending on profiles, and no income is guaranteed. For a founder, the main stake is margin: gaining a few points of contribution margin on 5,000 orders a year represents several million FCFA.
Mini case study
Consider a hypothetical learner: Fatou, 32, founder of a natural cosmetics store in Dakar, with 5,000 delivered orders a year and an average basket of 20,000 FCFA, i.e. 100,000,000 FCFA in sales.
- Assumed current contribution margin: 12 %, i.e. 2,400 FCFA per order.
- Assumption: 2 margin points gained (fewer loss-making promotions, cost per delivered order tracked better), i.e. 400 FCFA more per order.
- Illustrative annual gain: 5,000 × 400 = 2,000,000 FCFA.
- Cost of level 5: 200,000 FCFA, i.e. 10 % of this hypothetical gain.
Learn this skill with Kolonell Academy
Short, practical online courses (taught in French), graded exercises, certificate. Pay with Wave or Orange Money.
This scenario is fictional: it shows the order of magnitude of the margin lever, not an achieved result. The two points remain an assumption to check against your own figures.
FAQ
Can I skip level 4?
Yes, if you run a business that has been selling online for at least 6 months and you are comfortable with Google Sheets. Module 1 of level 5 is free: read it to check before paying 200,000 FCFA.
Do I need to be good at finance?
You need to know Google Sheets. Contribution margin, break-even, working capital and forecasting are explained step by step, with templates in the PDFs and amounts in FCFA.
Does the course help me raise funds?
It covers financing growth: pre-orders, supplier credit, microfinance, banks and public schemes. The final project prepares a presentation for a partner, an investor or a bank, with no promise of funding.
What certificate will I get?
A numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online (QR code), that you can add to LinkedIn, obtained by passing the 10 module quizzes with at least 70 %; your final project must also be approved by a reviewer. It is not a diploma.
Is the full track a better deal?
If you plan to take both levels 4 and 5 (300,000 FCFA separately), look at the E-commerce and Online Selling track: 5 levels for 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000. Payment by Wave or Orange Money, access activated within 24 working hours.
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Take the next step. Enroll in Running an e-commerce business: margins, acquisition and team: 40 hours, 200,000 FCFA (305 EUR), verifiable 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.
