By Maryjane Austine
Senegal Cancels Akon’s $6bn City Plan, Launches $1.2bn State Project
The Senegalese government has officially cancelled plans for “Akon City,” a $6 billion futuristic development once promised by Senegalese-American singer Akon. The decision comes after five years of delays, unfulfilled financial commitments, and a lack of visible progress on the project.
Initially announced in 2020, Akon City was introduced as a revolutionary smart city powered by solar energy and Akon’s cryptocurrency. Inspired by the fictional Wakanda from Marvel films, the project aimed to transform the quiet coastal village of Mbodiène into a bustling tech and tourism hub. However, the ambitious vision failed to materialise.
Authorities have now reclaimed nearly all of the 136 acres of land originally allocated to the singer. Serigne Mamadou Mboup, head of Sapco-Senegal, the agency overseeing coastal development, confirmed to local media that “the project no longer exists.”
Instead, the government will move forward with a new tourism initiative in the same area. This revised plan, led the state and supported by private investors, carries a budget of 665 billion CFA francs (approximately $1.2 billion). Akon will retain only 8 hectares from the original site, which will be absorbed into the broader development.
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Although Akon City’s launch was widely celebrated, progress over the years was minimal. Only a youth centre, a basketball court, and an information kiosk were completed. The first phase of the project, which was meant to include a hospital and be finished by 2023, never got off the ground.
Officials are hopeful the government’s new approach will bring tangible benefits to the Mbodiène community, including up to 15,000 jobs in the initial stages.
