Senegal has officially scrapped singer Akon’s ambitious $6 billion “Akon City” project, nearly five years after it was first unveiled with grand promises of a futuristic, tech-driven city inspired by Marvel’s Wakanda.
According to multiple reports on Wednesday, the Senegalese government reclaimed most of the 136 acres of land previously allocated for the project in Mbodiène, a quiet coastal village, citing lack of progress and unmet financial obligations.
“That project no longer exists,” said Serigne Mamadou Mboup, head of Sapco-Senegal, the state agency overseeing coastal and tourism development, in comments to the state-run Agence de presse sénégalaise.
First announced in 2020, Akon City was pitched as a revolutionary development powered by renewable energy and Akon’s proprietary cryptocurrency, Akoin. It was envisioned to include residential areas, hotels, a hospital, a stadium, and even a tech hub.
READ ALSO: Senegal President Faye visit Tinubu in State House
However, five years later, little has been built beyond a youth center, a basketball court, and an information kiosk. The initial phase, which was to include a hospital and other core infrastructure, had been slated for completion by 2023 but never materialized.
In place of Akon’s failed project, the government now plans to launch a scaled-down, state-supported tourism initiative for the same site. The new plan will involve a budget of 665 billion CFA francs (approximately $1.2 billion), largely sourced from private investors.
Despite the disappointment surrounding Akon City, officials say the revised project could still provide a significant economic boost, potentially creating up to 15,000 jobs during its initial phase and delivering long-anticipated development for the Mbodiène area.