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- In the last year, Akon Metropolis, musician Akon’s lofty plans for a pan-African crypto-powered smart city in Senegal, has not proceeded beyond the laying of a ceremonial stone
- By 2024, Akon projected, the city will have a police station, trash centre, solar power plant, retail mall, hospital, and school, with the full project expected to be finished by 2030
- The leader of a local women’s organisation, Philomene Bamimba, underlined the economic benefits that the city’s development may bring to Mbodiene
In the last year, Akon Metropolis, musician Akon’s lofty plans for a pan-African crypto-powered smart city in Senegal, has not proceeded beyond the laying of a ceremonial stone. While Akon promoted the city in 2018 as a futuristic city inspired by the Marvel film Black Panther that would emerge as a beacon of innovation and human development and bolster the West African and Senegalese economies, there are few signs of its development beyond a ceremonial stone laid in a field near Mbodiene a year ago. The project has not advanced beyond the installation of the stone, according to Agence France-Presse, and a little sign promoting Akon City has now fallen from its position on top of the block.
By 2024, Akon projected, the city will have a police station, trash centre, solar power plant, retail mall, hospital, and school, with the full project expected to be finished by 2030. Senegalese residents appear to be getting more suspicious about Akon City, the popular singer and producer’s concept for a $6 billion Pan-African smart city with a crypto-powered economy built near the Senegalese town of Mbodiene. Locals in Mbiodene who had great hopes for a boom in employment and economic activity now have no idea why Akon City’s growth has halted, according to the study. Jules Thiamane, a 35-year-old local, said: With a lot of words and promises, they lay the foundation stone. We haven’t seen much yet, compared to all that has been announced. However, not everyone has given up on Akon City, with David Seck Sene, head of the Mbodiene village youth organisation, saying he still has optimism. He can’t see a project like this coming to an end tomorrow.
The leader of a local women’s organisation, Philomene Bamimba, underlined the economic benefits that the city’s development may bring to Mbodiene. This is a major deal for us, she explained. According to Paul Martin of the US-based engineering firm KE International, which won the contract to build Akon City, the project has received more than $4 billion in finance. Julius Mwale, a Kenyan entrepreneur, is the project’s primary investor, according to Martin. Construction is expected to begin in October, following the completion of another Mwale-funded township in Kenya. The first 12 months of work on Akon City were spent on planning, approvals, procurement, and subcontractor recruiting, according to Martin. According to the World Bank, more than a third of Senegal’s 16 million people are now living in poverty.
Steve Anderson is an Australian crypto enthusiast. He is a specialist in management and trading for over 5 years. Steve has worked as a crypto trader, he loves learning about decentralisation, understanding the true potential of the blockchain.
