Senegal Cancels Akon's $6 Billion Futuristic City Project Over Lack of Progress

 Senegal Cancels Akon's $6 Billion Futuristic City Project Over Lack of Progress

Senegal has officially terminated singer Akon’s ambitious plan to build a $6 billion futuristic city along the Atlantic coast, citing insufficient progress and financial challenges. The government has instead approved a scaled-down $1.2 billion resort project to be developed by the state-owned coastal agency, Sapco.

In 2020, Senegal granted Akon 136 acres of land in Mbodiène—a quiet farming village—with the vision of creating “Akon City,” a high-tech smart city inspired by Marvel’s fictional Wakanda. The project aimed to transform the area into a leading technology and innovation hub.

However, last August, Akon received a formal ultimatum from the government to begin construction or risk forfeiting the land, following missed payments to Sapco, the agency responsible for coastal and tourism development.

According to Bloomberg, the government has now repossessed most of the originally allocated land after little advancement on the project. Serigne Mamadou Mboup, head of Sapco-Senegal, confirmed to the national press that “that project no longer exists.”

The reclaimed land will be repurposed for a new development led by Sapco, which plans to invest 665 billion CFA francs (approximately $1.2 billion) to establish a major tourism hub. The government aims to attract 600 billion CFA francs from private investors, with 65 billion CFA francs funded by the state.

Akon will retain only 8 hectares for a smaller-scale venture.

Despite the downsizing, officials say the new project is expected to generate significant economic benefits. Sapco estimates the first phase alone could create about 15,000 jobs, providing vital economic stimulus for Mbodiène and surrounding communities.