Plans for a futuristic African city backed by international music icon and entrepreneur Akon have officially been scrapped. The project site in Senegal will now be developed into a $1 billion luxury resort, according to Bloomberg.
In early July, Senegal’s tourism agency cancelled the multibillion-dollar “Akon City” initiative and opted instead for a resort model funded through private investment.
Originally pitched as a $6 billion “real-life Wakanda,” Akon City was to be powered by Akon’s cryptocurrency, Akoin. However, the project never progressed beyond the construction of a welcome centre. In August 2024, the state-owned tourism development agency SAPCO warned Akon that continued failure to meet development milestones and payment schedules could lead to forfeiture of the land.
Senegalese lawmakers have since confirmed that the project had stalled. The land has reverted to state control, with new plans focusing on boosting overnight tourism and hospitality infrastructure rather than urban development.
Meanwhile, Akon had also pledged to build a similar futuristic city in Uganda. Like the original Senegal project, the Ugandan version was to include shopping malls, stadiums, recreational facilities, and run on Akoin.
In 2022, the Ugandan government allocated him one square mile of land in Mpunge sub-county, Mukono district. However, this ambitious plan has also failed to take off, with no disclosed budget or timeline for construction.
