Singer Akon is moving forward with plans to build ‘a real life Wakanda’ in Senegal with his $6 billion smart city. The R&B star hopes that the 2,000-acre metropolis will be a haven for all members of the African Diaspora. The city is characterized by an exquisite blend of futuristic aesthetics and cutting-edge technology.
Akon believes African countries are long overdue for economic development, and with his city, he hopes to bring a tech hub and “Senewood” film industry to his home country Senegal. The smart city is planned to run on renewable energy and will use Akoin – the singer’s own cryptocurrency. Conceived in 2018, the construction of Akon City is announced to begin in 2021.
Akon City
With futuristic designs, Akon City will feature a sprawling luxury resort, tall-rising condos, recording studios, a stadium, hospitals, schools, and universities, and even its very own cryptocurrency. The project is being jointly developed by LA-based KE International and Dubai-based Bakri & Associates Development Consultants, who have visualized the structural forms through various images, flawlessly complementing Akon’s vision for the city.
Bakri & Associates claims that Akon City will take advantage of traditional and newly-developed construction materials, including lightweight, more effective glass-and-steel components. The city will be powered by clean energy – likely by Akon Lighting Africa, singer’s solar energy project that backs energy ventures in rural areas across Africa – and will have an artificial intelligence data center.
The project will be completed in two phases. The first phase is scheduled for completion in 2023 and will include a 5,000-bed hospital, homes, hotels, schools, police and fire stations, an airstrip, a shopping center, a waste facility, and a solar power plant. Phase two will include parks, universities, a stadium, and an industrial complex and will see its completion by 2029.
Inspiring dreams
According to the singer, the project is aimed to stimulate the local economy and create much-needed jobs for the Senegalese. Moreover, Akon hopes that the city will serve as a “home back home” for Black Americans and other members of the African Diaspora facing racial injustice elsewhere in the world.
The singer says he has already secured about one-third of the $6 billion needed for the fruition of his ambitious project that will inspire countless dreams and fulfill many so. Apparently, he has found numerous investors and will soon start the construction work for the smart city, which is planned to finish by the end of the decade.
While many have praised the singer for his vision for this city, many remain skeptical about what faction of the society will benefit once the city is built, if it is built, that is. Regardless of the critics, the singer is moving forth with the construction and securing a place for the African Diaspora.