While many of you would associate Akon as a Senegalese-American singer, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and actor from New Jersey, but little would people know he is also a tech geek.
Recently, Akon announced that the construction of Akon city – a $6 billion cryptocurrency– fueled city in Senegal is in progress. He added that this city will resemble Wakanda from the Marvel movie Black Panther not just as a futuristic appearance but also in more ways.
Reel Wakanda to become Real
Last week, Akon told TMZ that the fictional African country from the movie Black Panther has played a major role by helping him to secure investment. While he had already been working on this before the movie came out, the movie made it easy for him to explain to people what he was trying to do.
Early this year, Akon shared through Twitter that construction of the city in Senegal has become official. He commented that the city will be built on 2,000 acres of land which is gifted by the President of Senegal and will be a five-minute drive to the airport. The project is being rolled out in stages with Stage one being started in March. Stage two is going to begin in 2025.
Akon told a media outlet that the main feature of Akon City will be a 5,000-bed hospital which will cost about $1 billion to build. Along with this, stage one also includes the construction of houses, hotels, schools, a solar power plant, waste facility, a mall, police and fire stations and all other amenities required for a living. Besides making the city fully crypto functional, he plans to make it renewable with a major focus on solar energy.
Making Akoin Globally Acceptable
Akon stated that Akion will be the local currency of the futuristic cryptocurrency city. He aims to make the coin as the common method of payment allowing for easy exchange among 54 African Countries. Akon founded the cryptocurrency along with Karas and Lynn Liss. This was in response to his encounter with a situation where he wasn’t able to exchange Senegal’s currency to euros during a trip from Dakar to Paris.
Akon believed that cryptocurrency will empower Africans and act as a saviour in many ways for Africa. Akoin has its own wallet which enables the users to learn, earn, spend and save. He hoped that Akoin would get adopted across the continent and beyond as the major feature of crypto is not only being used in exchange but can also be borrowed, transferred and used to carry out daily life activities which require money.
Recently, Akon was awarded a $6 billion contract by U.S engineering firm KE international. As of now, the company has secured $4billion from investors enough to construct the first two phases of Akon City. Once completed, the city will become a sustainable cryptocurrency hub with renewable sources while attracting tourists all over the world.
