The verdict in three sentences
If you are an NGO officer, project officer or consultant in Ouagadougou and you read English but cannot speak it comfortably, the Conversational English course (level 3 Intermediate, 75,000 FCFA, 15 h) targets exactly that block. You need an A2 level (write a simple email, handle a short call), a phone with a microphone, earphones and a practice partner. The course is fully text-based, with no live classes, and module 1 is free to preview before you pay.
Before you enroll: level and equipment
In Ouagadougou, many jobs in NGOs, donor-funded projects and regional organizations require you to hold a meeting with partners from Accra, Lagos or London. The most common problem is not grammar: it is mental translation, which makes your sentence arrive too late. The course Conversational English: speaking with ease at work, taught in French with English practice material, starts from that observation.
| What to check | What is required | How to test yourself |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | A2 to B1: write a simple email, handle a short call | Write a 5-line email postponing a meeting |
| Device | Phone or computer with a microphone | Record 1 minute with your phone's voice recorder |
| Earphones | Essential for listening exercises | Simple wired earphones are enough |
| Practice partner | Recommended for dialogues, required for the final simulation | A colleague, a relative or a fellow learner |
| Connection | Text lessons readable on 3G, no app to install | Open the free module 1 on your mobile data |
| Time | 15 h in total, plus 15 minutes of practice a day | About 2.5 h a week for six weeks |
If that 5-line email takes you more than 30 minutes, start with level 2 (Office English) of the Business English track. The full track has 5 levels and costs 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 as a bundle.
What the six modules contain
Each lesson gives the vocabulary of the day, a model dialogue set in Dakar, Abidjan, Accra or the diaspora, explanations in French and exercises with answer keys, including listening and recording exercises. Each module has its PDF handout and its quiz.
| Module | What you work on | What you produce |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Speaking confidence (free) | Ready-made phrase blocks, fillers, 15-minute routine | Your daily routine |
| 2. Pronunciation and accent | Word stress, rhythm, -ed and -s endings, Nigerian, Ghanaian, Indian accents | Your sheet of 30 risky words |
| 3. Expressing opinions | I think, nuancing, justifying, two-minute talk | 3-minute recording defending a position |
| 4. Clarifying and rephrasing | Checking, asking for details, active listening | Your rephrasing templates |
| 5. Simple meetings | Agenda, progress update in the present perfect, polite interruptions | Your meeting intervention templates |
| 6. Real situations | Networking, hosting a partner, client call | Meeting simulation and three recorded conversations |
The tools are free: YouGlish, Cambridge Dictionary online, BBC Learning English, Anki, your phone's voice recorder, Google Meet or Zoom for the simulation. You leave with a bank of 150 spoken expressions sorted by function.
Price, payment and comparison with other options
| Option | Indicative 2026 cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Kolonell Academy, level 3 | 75,000 FCFA (about 115 EUR / 125 USD), one-off | 15 h, 6 modules, 2 projects, lifetime access with updates |
| Full Business English track | 350,000 FCFA instead of 450,000 (about 535 EUR) | 5 levels, from beginner to test preparation |
| Language school course in Ouagadougou | Order of magnitude 60,000 to 150,000 FCFA per session | Fixed hours, travel across town |
| Private tutor | Order of magnitude 7,500 to 15,000 FCFA per hour | Personal follow-up, cost rises fast |
| Free online videos | 0 FCFA, excluding mobile data | Scattered content, no progression or project |
Payment is by Wave or Orange Money at +221 77 596 93 33. When you enroll, you receive a pro forma invoice with the amount. Access is activated within 24 working hours after payment is received. Once access is activated, the course is not refundable: that is why the full module 1 is open, so you can judge the content 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: Salif, 31, monitoring and evaluation officer at an NGO in Ouagadougou. He reads reports in English but stays silent in monthly donor meetings. He is aiming for a coordinator role where spoken English is required. Illustrative calculation: the course costs 75,000 FCFA. If such a role came with a gap of 50,000 FCFA a month (the low end of the 50,000 to 150,000 FCFA range quoted for 2026), the cost would equal a month and a half of that gap. This is only an illustration: the gap depends on the sector and the role, and no job or salary is guaranteed. Time-wise, Salif plans 2.5 h on Saturdays and 15 minutes every evening, so six weeks.
FAQ
Are there live classes or videos?
No. The course is made of written lessons, PDF handouts, exercises with answer keys, 6 quizzes and 2 projects. You practise aloud by recording yourself and with your partner, and you ask questions on the course forum or through WhatsApp support.
How do I get the certificate?
By finishing the lessons and passing the module quizzes with at least 70 %. You receive a numbered Kolonell Academy certificate, verifiable online via QR code, which you can add to LinkedIn. It attests a completed course and does not replace an official test such as TOEIC or IELTS.
Does the course prepare for TOEIC or IELTS?
Not directly. It builds the speaking fluency these tests require, but preparation for official exams is covered in level 5 of the track.
How much time per day should I plan?
Plan 2.5 h a week for six weeks for lessons and projects, plus 15 minutes of speaking practice a day. The final project takes about 3 hours.
I have no English-speaking partner. Is that a problem?
No. Your partner does not need to be a native speaker: a colleague who speaks some English or a fellow learner is enough. Exercises outside the dialogues are done alone with your phone.
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Take the next step. Enroll in Conversational English: speaking with ease at work: 15 h, 75,000 FCFA, Kolonell Academy certificate verifiable by QR code. 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.
