Plans for a futuristic $6bn city in Senegal, envisioned by US-Senegalese singer Akon, have been officially abandoned, officials confirmed.

Instead, the star will focus on a more “realistic” initiative, according to Serigne Mamadou Mboup, head of Senegal’s tourism development body, Sapco.

“The Akon City project no longer exists,” Mboup told the BBC. “An agreement has been reached with Akon, and what he is preparing with us is a realistic project that Sapco will fully support.”

The original vision, announced in 2018, promised a sprawling 800-hectare metropolis in Mbodiène, 100km south of Dakar, powered by Akon’s own cryptocurrency, Akoin. Early designs, featuring sweeping skyscrapers and ultra-modern infrastructure, drew comparisons to Marvel’s Wakanda.

But five years on, the site remains largely barren. Aside from a partially built reception building, there are no roads, utilities, or housing. Residents say promised jobs and development have yet to materialise.

Akon has admitted mismanagement of the Akoin cryptocurrency, which struggled to meet investor expectations. Legal questions also surrounded the proposal, as Senegal uses the CFA franc, and the central bank has long expressed opposition to cryptocurrency-based payment systems.

The shift marks a retreat from a bold vision of a high-tech African utopia toward more grounded, achievable development in the country.