What was once imagined as a real-life Wakanda may soon become one of Senegal’s hottest tourist destinations, just not the way Akon originally envisioned it.
The Senegalese government has officially scrapped plans for “Akon City,” the $6 billion futuristic metropolis proposed by R&B star Akon back in 2020. Instead, the land previously allocated for the development will now be used for a more modest and realistic tourism-focused project.
The massive coastal site in Mbodiène, about 50 miles from Dakar, is shifting from a crypto-powered smart city dreamscape to a traditional tourist hub, complete with hotels, apartments, a marina, and a scenic promenade along a nearby lagoon.
The new plan comes with a price tag of around $1.2 billion and will rely primarily on private funding.
According to Serigne Mamadou Mboup, head of Sapco-Senegal, the state agency overseeing coastal development, Akon’s futuristic city concept “no longer exists.” The land has been reclaimed by the government after Akon reportedly missed multiple payments and failed to break ground on the project.
The announcement marks the end of a highly ambitious and highly publicized plan that promised everything from cryptocurrency transactions to energy-efficient buildings inspired by African innovation. Branded as a symbol of pan-African pride and futuristic living, Akon City was marketed as a place where innovation, culture, and sustainability would intersect. It was big on vision but short on follow-through.
Sapco had previously issued an ultimatum to Akon, giving him two weeks to show progress or lose the land. With no significant movement and Senegal now grappling with its own economic challenges, the government decided to reallocate the site.
Senegal is currently facing a debt crisis, after an audit revealed that the previous administration had racked up $7 billion in undisclosed loans. That financial instability led the International Monetary Fund to suspend nearly $1.8 billion in support, prompting the country to prioritize projects that can realistically drive growth and recovery.
Now, the focus is on tourism, a key industry for Senegal. The reimagined development in Mbodiène aims to bring in revenue, create jobs, and attract international visitors.
