Akon City: Yes, Authorities Say It’s Cancelled — Here’s the Surprising Story Behind the Dream, the Denial and What Happens Next
Short answer: Senegal’s government says “Akon City no longer exists.” Yet Akon still insists his $6-billion, Wakanda-inspired metropolis is alive. The clash between the singer’s optimism and official documents is where the real drama begins.
1. The News Nobody Wanted to Hear
The most important, verified update is blunt:
July 2025 — Senegal’s coastal-development agency SAPCO publicly repossessed almost all of Akon City’s land, declaring the project scrapped after years of zero construction progress.
– Source: sauce.co.ke, 10 Jul 2025 | Times of India, 11 Jul 2025
That’s the opposite of what Akon told TMZ this week in New York, where he brushed off cancellation talk as “misinformation spread by haters.”
2. How a “Real-Life Wakanda” Was Born
Back in June 2018, Akon dazzled the world with concept art straight out of Marvel’s Black Panther. He promised:
- Solar-powered skyscrapers
- A crypto-currency called AKoin
- Jobs for young Senegalese tech workers
He even broke ground—ceremonially, at least—in August 2020. Count them: seven years from launch to 2025, not “over a decade” as he told TMZ.
3. From Hype to Halt: A Timeline of Trouble
| Year | Public Promise | What Actually Happened (verified) |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Project unveiled; “$6 bn raised” claimed | Financing sources never fully documented |
| 2020 | Ground-breaking with Senegal’s president | Only one small amenity building erected |
| 2021-24 | “Phase 1 will finish in 2023” repeated | No visible construction; investors grew quiet |
| Jul 2025 | Akon tells media the city is fine | SAPCO repossesses land, calls project dead |
4. Why Akon Still Says “It’s Coming”
Akon frames the push-back as a superhero plot:
“Killmongers want to keep Africa from progressing.”
That’s colorful, but there’s no evidence of a coordinated sabotage campaign. What we do have are:
- Missed financing deadlines
- Pandemic delays
- A crypto crash that vaporised AKoin’s momentum
5. What’s True, What’s Not — Quick Fact Check
| Claim from TMZ interview | Status | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Reports of cancellation are “grossly overblown.” | Contradicted | Official SAPCO statements, BBC report |
| “Akon City has been in development for over a decade.” | Mostly False | First announced 2018 |
| Project inspired by Black Panther. | True | Akon’s own 2018 press conference |
| Country album “60 % done,” working with Gary LeVox. | Partially Verified | Joint single exists; no independent 60 % figure |
6. The Country-Music Curveball
Yes, the R&B star is moon-walking into honky-tonk.
• Confirmed: Akon and Rascal Flatts’ Gary LeVox released “Hold The Umbrella” on 16 May 2025.
• Unconfirmed: The precise “60 % complete” progress he quotes—no studio engineer or label has backed up that number publicly.
7. What Happens to the 2,000 Acres of Beachfront Now?
Senegalese officials told reporters they will “pivot to a more realistic coastal redevelopment” inviting new investors. None of the original futuristic domes or AKoin hubs remain on the docket.
8. Open Questions We’re Still Chasing
- Where did the promised $6 billion go?
- Will investors pursue legal action for the lost land lease?
- Could Akon re-pitch the project in another African nation?
If you have documents or insider knowledge, reach out securely at tips@investireporter.com.
9. The Takeaway
Dreams are powerful PR. Paperwork is more powerful reality. Right now, the paperwork says Akon City is history. Akon, ever the showman, says the final act hasn’t played yet. Until concrete—literally—shows up on that Senegalese coastline, the official verdict stands: project canceled.