In a striking turn of events, Senegal’s internet regulator has issued a final notice to R&B singer Akon regarding his ambitious $6 billion Akon City project, urging him to commence construction or risk losing a significant portion of the land allocated for the venture. This ultimatum comes after years of delays and growing impatience among local authorities and residents, who have yet to see substantial progress on the highly publicized development.
The concept of Akon City was first unveiled in 2020 when the West African nation granted the artist 136 acres of land on its Atlantic coast. Akon envisioned the city as a real-life Wakanda, the fictional, technologically advanced African nation from Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther” films. The proposed metropolis would feature condominiums, amusement parks, a seaside resort with gravity-defying skyscrapers, and be powered entirely by solar energy. The city would also use Akoin, a cryptocurrency launched by Akon, as its primary medium of exchange.
However, nearly four years after the foundation stone was laid, the site remains largely undeveloped, with only a single arched concrete block standing in an otherwise vacant field. Instead of the futuristic cityscape promised, the area now hosts grazing goats and cows. This stark reality has led to increasing frustration among local authorities, particularly Sapco-Senegal, the state-owned entity responsible for developing the country’s coastal and tourism areas.
Sapco-Senegal has given Akon formal notice to initiate construction, threatening to reclaim 90% of the land if substantial progress is not made. This move follows Akon’s failure to meet several payment deadlines to Sapco, according to sources familiar with the matter. Despite this, Akon’s team has denied awareness of any formal notice, and Sapco has remained tight-lipped, refusing to provide further details.
Akon’s vision for his city included not only luxury apartments and a seaside resort but also essential infrastructure such as hospitals, a police station, and a university equipped with cutting-edge technology. The singer’s aim was to create a self-sustaining, environmentally friendly urban area that could serve as a model for future African cities.
The project’s challenges are compounded by the lack of progress on Akoin, the cryptocurrency intended to facilitate transactions within the city. Launched during a cryptocurrency boom in November 2020, Akoin has seen its value plummet from $0.15 at launch to a mere $0.003 by December 2020, with little to no trading activity since then.
Despite the setbacks, local leaders initially welcomed Akon’s promises, hopeful that Akon City would bring much-needed jobs and development to the predominantly agrarian region. Village chief Michel Diome of Mbodiene, where the city is to be built, expressed early optimism about the project’s potential to create employment opportunities and improve local infrastructure.
Akon, whose birth name is Aliaune Thiam, has deep ties to Senegal, having spent his early childhood in the country before moving to the United States. He rose to fame in the early 2000s with hits like “Locked Up,” “Lonely,” and “Smack That,” collaborating with top artists and selling over 35 million albums globally. Akon’s commitment to African development is well-documented; in 2007, he founded Akon Lighting Africa, a project aimed at providing solar-powered solutions to off-grid areas across the continent.
However, the ambitious Akon City project has been fraught with difficulties from the outset. Originally planned to be completed in phases, the first phase, including a hospital, condominiums, and an “African village,” was set for completion by 2023. Akon cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a reason for delays, but as of now, no significant construction has begun.
Adding to the project’s woes, Akon announced plans for a second city in Uganda before making progress on the initial Senegalese venture. Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni allocated land for the project in 2021, but progress has been stalled due to local resistance and budgetary constraints.
In Senegal, local residents have voiced concerns over the feasibility and financing of Akon City. Some have not been reimbursed for the land they relinquished in 2009, and questions remain about the project’s overall viability. Although Akon has funded a youth center and a basketball court in Mbodiene, these efforts fall short of the grand vision presented in 2020.
Despite these challenges, Cheick Seck, a project manager with Dakar-based Axiome Construction, insists that Akon City is still in progress. Preliminary work, such as geotechnical studies and environmental assessments, is reportedly underway, and Akon is expected to visit Dakar soon to reassure partners about the project’s future.
In conclusion, Akon City stands at a critical juncture. The ambitious project, initially filled with promise and potential, now faces mounting pressure to deliver tangible results. With the Senegalese government growing impatient and local communities losing faith, Akon’s dream of a futuristic African metropolis must quickly transition from vision to reality, or risk becoming a cautionary tale of overambition and unmet expectations.
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