American R&B singer, Akon, is forging ahead with plans to build his futuristic pan-African city, which is estimated to cost US$6 Billion.
The Utopian city which Akon likens to Wakanda, an advanced technological city portrayed in the American blockbuster movie “Black Panther” will be built on a 2,000-acre oceanfront land given to him by the Senegalese project. This article looks at what Akon’s US$6 billion futuristic city project holds for Africa and the diaspora.
Akon’s US$6 billion futuristic city- Design and Features
“I want the buildings to look like real African sculptures that they make in the villages,” Akon said. The blueprints of the structures of the Utopian city reveal the structures will be made of steel, concrete, glass, and copper which some deem as inappropriate for the hot Senegalese climate.
The structures will have features of a melting-like metal design with a bulbous peak. The futuristic city will feature a 5,000-bed state of the art hospital, which Akon says will cost about $1 BILLION to build and will be a part of the first phase of construction. The city will also include apartments, hotels, schools, a seaside resort, a tech hub, recording studios. police and fire stations, an airstrip, a mall, and all the other amenities needed by a modern city.
The hotels within the city are said to feature rooms decorated for each of the 54 nations of Africa.
Why Akon City?
Akon’s US$6 billion futuristic city is being set up to be a business hub for the Senegalese citizens and a haven for those in the diaspora, particularly African Americans. “The system back home treats them unfairly in so many different ways that you can never imagine. And they only go through it because they feel that there is no other way,” Akon said.
“So, if you’re coming from America or Europe or elsewhere in the diaspora and you feel that you want to visit Africa, we want Senegal to be your first stop,” he further added.
Project Commencement
The futuristic project designed by an Abu Dhabi based architect is scheduled to commence in 2021 with the first phase of the project expected to be completed in 3 years. Speaking in Dakar, Akon made it known that the project had already secured about one-third of the US$6 billion needed. He however, declined to publicly identify his investors, citing non-disclosure agreements.
Should the entire project be completed, this could be a game-changer for the Senegalese tourism industry and a significant boost to economic activity in the country especially given the devastating impact of the coronavirus.
