Progress stalls on Akon’s $6 billion smart city in Senegal

Akon, the musician and entrepreneur with dual Senegalese and American heritage, made waves worldwide with his ambitious plan to establish a modern, $6 billion smart city in Senegal, where his ancestors are from. Presented as a technologically advanced paradise driven completely by sustainable energy and featuring its own digital currency, “Akon City” aimed to revolutionize the area by merging technological advancements with economic prospects. Despite the initial excitement, years after the project was unveiled, it seems to have faced significant delays, with reports suggesting the city remains mostly uninhabited.

In 2020, Akon introduced his vision, sparking both enthusiasm and doubt. Taking cues from films such as Black Panther, he envisioned a modern city featuring tall buildings, luxury accommodations, a technology center, and eco-friendly systems. The city’s economy was to be driven by Akoin, a digital currency aimed at boosting African economies. Akon portrayed this initiative as an opportunity to create employment, encourage development, and represent African advancement.

The proposed location for Akon City was a 2,000-acre plot along the Atlantic coast, near the Senegalese village of Mbodiène. The government of Senegal reportedly donated the land, seeing the project as an opportunity to boost tourism, investment, and development. Akon claimed to have secured funding from private investors and envisioned the first phase of construction—consisting of roads, homes, and a police station—completed by 2023.

Nevertheless, as time went by, there was minimal physical advancement visible on the location. Reporters and community members who have been to the area have portrayed the land as mostly unchanged, with merely a modest sign indicating the prospective spot for the city. It has been reported that no significant building activities have occurred, and several of the bold commitments are still unachieved.

For those residing close to the planned project, the lack of advancement has led to skepticism and disappointment. Many had expected new employment prospects, infrastructure improvements, and advantages fueled by tourism. However, they remain in communities with restricted access to essential services, as the vision of Akon City appears to be becoming more unattainable.

The absence of noticeable progress has led to speculation about whether the project was ever financially feasible or overly ambitious from the start. Significant urban initiatives necessitate considerable, continuous funding and coordination—especially in areas where infrastructure remains under development. Certain analysts have highlighted the difficulties of initiating such a sophisticated city in a place lacking the essential groundwork.

Akon, for his part, has maintained in interviews that the project is still alive, citing delays related to the COVID-19 pandemic and economic disruptions as key reasons for the slow pace. He has emphasized that building a city from scratch is a complex, multi-year undertaking that requires careful planning and resource allocation. Yet despite these reassurances, public trust in the project appears to have eroded as the promised progress remains unseen.

The broader idea behind Akon City—using blockchain technology, green energy, and futuristic design to empower African communities—resonated with many who hoped for transformative change on the continent. Africa is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies, and young populations hungry for innovation. Akon’s vision aligned with a larger narrative of homegrown solutions and modern African success stories.

Nonetheless, the practical execution of such visionary projects has proven to be a different matter altogether. Akon City is not the first high-profile development to face setbacks on the continent. Numerous proposed smart cities across Africa, from Kenya’s Konza Technopolis to Nigeria’s Eko Atlantic, have similarly encountered delays, funding issues, or reduced scope compared to initial promises.

The gap between visionary ideals and on-the-ground realities highlights the challenges of implementing megaprojects in emerging economies. Issues such as land ownership, financing, government partnerships, and regulatory hurdles can complicate even the most well-intentioned plans. Moreover, the sheer scale of building a futuristic city from the ground up presents logistical challenges that are difficult to overcome without substantial and consistent backing.

For numerous people in Senegal, Akon City serves as a warning about ambitious pledges that don’t come to fruition. Although the musician’s desire to support his country and play a part in Africa’s future growth is well recognized, the absence of concrete advancements has caused disappointment among many.

The situation has also sparked wider discussions about how progress should happen in Africa. Detractors contend that extensive, centralized initiatives frequently shift focus away from urgent, community-driven strategies that might directly affect individuals’ lives. Instead of prioritizing prominent, costly urban developments, some suggest directing resources toward education, healthcare, local enterprises, and current urban areas.

Akon’s prominent participation drew global attention to the concept of Africa-driven innovation and the potential for economic development on the continent. Whether or not Akon City eventually becomes a reality, the conversation it initiated about Africa’s future, the role of technology, and the importance of infrastructure and investment continues to be valuable.

Currently, the proposed location is mostly vacant, and the schedule for building it is uncertain. Proponents of the initiative continue to believe the vision can be renewed, whereas critics regard it as yet another instance of unfulfilled promises without the ability to execute.

The tale of Akon City acts as a mirror to the ambitions and challenges of progress in Africa. It highlights the necessity of aligning forward-thinking concepts with realistic implementation, ensuring that the communities potentially impacted by these ventures are not left in prolonged anticipation for transformations that might not occur.

While the fate of Akon’s futuristic city remains uncertain, its legacy may lie less in its physical construction and more in the conversations it sparked about how African nations can harness innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship to shape their own futures—on their own terms.