Senegalese-American grammy-nominated singer Akon is launching his very own cryptocurrency token called, wait for it, Akoin. The coin is more than just an amusing pun as the project intends to, wait for it again, build a futuristic ‘real-life Wakanda’ in Senegal, with reference to the fictional highly prosperous and technologically advanced African nation featured in the famed Black Panther movie. Akoin is set to be the foundation of the AKoin Ecosystem, a unique global project that offers an abundance of digital and in-real-life platforms and experiences that create opportunity and inclusion for youth entrepreneurs by allowing consumers to buy, hold, and spend cryptocurrency right from their smartphone through a suite of blockchain-powered apps.
Speaking on a panel during Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in…., Akon explained, “I think that blockchain and crypto could be the saviour for Africa in many ways because it brings the power back to the people and brings the security back into the currency system. It also allows the people to utilize it in ways where they can advance themselves and not allow government to do those things that are keeping them down.”
According to the project’s website, the “100% crypto-based” Akon Crypto City is to be built on a 2,000 acre piece of land gifted to Akon by the President of Senegal. It is located a mere 5 minutes away from Senegal’s new international airport, close to the coast and a short drive from Dakar, Senegal’s capital city.
The AKoin Ecosystem aims to unlock the potential of the world’s largest emerging economy through the creation of a stable currency and innovative, revenue-generating opportunities that stimulate and support youth entrepreneurship, economic stability, and growth across Africa and the world. AKoin Ecosystem’s exclusive suite of sustainability and growth-building crypto-based apps offer immediate and ongoing new revenue generating opportunities to stimulate micro-exchanges and financial stability.
The site goes on to explain that while the the opportunities to buy, hold, and spend Akoin to power youth entrepreneurs on the digital platform and from anywhere in the world are vast, consumers will also be able to engage with AKoin in an entirely new way when they visit the real-life Wakanda of Akon Crypto City.
Akon also successfully founded Akon Lighting Africa to provide scaled solar power solutions throughout 18 countries to date in Africa.