Umair Gaines
Rapper Akon has brought solar-powered electricity to 14 African nations through his Akon Lighting Africa initiative. The project, which was launched in 2014, has provided electricity to over 1 million households in countries like Guinea, Senegal, Mali, and Sierra Leone. Akon, who grew up in a town in Senegal without electricity, aims to provide low-cost, sustainable electricity to African villages, and his efforts have had a significant impact on the continent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the project | Akon Lighting Africa |
| Year of launch | 2014 |
| Founder | Akon (Aliaune Thiam) |
| Co-founders | Samba Bathily and Thione Niang |
| No. of countries with access to electricity | 14 |
| No. of people with access to electricity | 28.8 million |
| No. of employees | 5,000 |
| No. of households with access to electricity | 1 million |
| No. of streetlights installed | 13,000 |
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What You'll Learn
Akon Lighting Africa: 14 African nations with solar-powered electricity
Akon Lighting Africa is a project started in 2014 by the musician Akon, along with Samba Bathily and Thione Niang. The project aims to provide electricity to African villages by leveraging solar energy.
Akon grew up in a rural town in Senegal without electricity and understood the challenges of living off the grid, including limited educational and career opportunities, as well as health and quality of life concerns. In 2013, Akon and Thione Niang decided to drive Africa's transformation by providing electricity. Samba Bathily joined them and provided targeted solutions through his company, Solektra INT, which supplies solar-powered equipment.
Akon Lighting Africa initially focused on installing solar street lights and small energy systems in African villages. By 2015, the project had provided electricity in 14 African countries, including Guinea, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Benin, and Sierra Leone. It had also employed over 5000 people, mostly young individuals who installed and maintained solar equipment. Akon stated that they had reached 1 million households in African nations with their projects, installing around 100,000 streetlights.
The project has brought about significant benefits to the communities it serves. For example, vendors can operate their businesses for longer hours, children can study after dark without relying on harmful kerosene lamps, and crime rates have decreased due to improved street lighting.
Akon and his partners have also established the Solektra Solar Academy in Africa, a school dedicated to teaching young Africans about solar power and how to install and maintain solar equipment. The academy is part of their efforts to boost energy transition in Africa and build local expertise in renewable energy.
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Jay-Z builds water pumps in South African villages
In 2006, Jay-Z took a trip to Africa, where he visited a rural village in South Africa. During his visit, some South African children showed him the six-mile journey they had to make every day to fetch drinkable water for their families. Jay-Z was deeply moved by this and decided to take action.
The Brooklyn-born rapper and business mogul spent millions of dollars to build a water pipeline and well, which supplies three different villages to this day. He also constructed ten water pumps that work without electricity. One of these pumps was a "play pump", a type of merry-go-round that pumps water from a well into a storage tank. This not only provided children with a fun activity but also spared them from having to make the long and grueling trip to the water hole.
Jay-Z's philanthropy didn't stop there. He also advised the children to never say that they grew up in poverty, encouraging them to recognize the resilience and strength that comes from growing up in challenging circumstances. He further demonstrated his commitment to the cause by donating the proceeds from an upcoming concert in New York to Water for Life, a U.N. initiative dedicated to reducing the number of people without access to safe drinking water.
Jay-Z's efforts to bring clean water to South African villages have had a lasting impact, and he continues to be celebrated for his heroic and impactful actions. His story serves as an inspiration to many, showing how individuals can make a significant difference in the world.
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French Montana finances a hospital in Uganda
Rapper French Montana has been working to improve the Ugandan healthcare system since filming the video for his hit single "Unforgettable" in 2018. He donated $500,000 to the Suubi Center, an underfunded maternity and children's health clinic in Uganda. French Montana also kicked off the “#Unforgettable Healthcare Campaign” with Global Citizen’s #2BSTRONG and the United States-based non-profit organization Mama Hope.
French Montana's humanitarian efforts in Uganda culminated with the opening of a hospital that is equipped to take care of 300,000 people. The Weeknd, Ciroc, and Diddy matched his initial donation of $100,000, which made it possible for the construction of the Suubi Health Centre to start immediately. The hospital is now up and running.
French Montana was born in Morocco and immigrated to the United States in his teens. He has expressed that he feels obligated to help improve healthcare in Uganda, especially for mothers and children. He received the 2022 Innovator Award for raising over $200 million for Ugandan healthcare.
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Akon's $6 billion Akon City in Senegal
In 2018, singer Akon announced his ambitious plan to build a $6 billion Akon City in Senegal. The project was intended to be a high-tech, eco-friendly metropolis with its own cryptocurrency, Akoin. Inspired by the fictional country of Wakanda from Marvel's Black Panther, Akon City was envisioned to feature condominiums, amusement parks, a seaside resort, and infrastructure running on solar power. The project was expected to bring modern amenities and economic opportunities to the region, including hospitals, a university, and a police station.
Akon, whose given name is Aliaune Thiam, has a reported net worth of $80 million. He told the Associated Press that the project is geared toward stimulating the local economy and creating much-needed jobs for the Senegalese. He also envisions that the city will serve as a "home back home" for Black Americans and other members of the African diaspora facing racial injustice.
Despite land being purchased and funding claimed in 2020, progress on Akon City has stalled. The site in Mbodiene, about 100km south of the capital, Dakar, remains mostly empty. Senegalese authorities have issued a final notice to Akon, threatening to reclaim 90% of the allocated land if significant progress is not made soon. In response, Akon is expected to visit Dakar soon to address concerns and reassure stakeholders of the project's viability.
Akon City was designed by Bakri & Associates Development Consultants. While some have expressed doubt about the project's future, Cheick Seck, a project manager with Dakar-based Axiome Construction, insists that Akon City is happening and that preliminary work is underway.
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Solar Academy teaches students about solar panels
The Solar Academy in Bamako, Mali, is a school with the aim of teaching young Africans about solar power and how to install and maintain solar equipment. The academy was launched by musician Akon and his partners Samba Bathily and Thione Niang at the second United Nations Sustainable Energy for All Forum in New York City.
Akon, whose real name is Aliaune Thiam (or Alioune Badara Thiam), spent a significant portion of his childhood in a town in Senegal that lacked electricity. He experienced first-hand the struggles of living without electricity, including limited educational and economic opportunities. In 2013, Akon and Niang, who also spent his childhood in a town without electricity, decided to help drive Africa's transformation. Samba Bathily joined them and provided targeted solutions through his company, Solektra INT, which supplies solar-powered equipment.
Combining their networks, Akon, Samba Bathily, and Thione Niang launched Akon Lighting Africa in February 2014. The initiative has provided electricity to 14 African countries, employing over 5000 people and reaching 1 million households. The employees, newly trained, are mainly young people who install and maintain solar equipment.
The Solar Academy will empower young Africans with the knowledge and skills to bring electricity to their homes and communities. Samba Bathily emphasised this in an interview: "We have the sun and innovative technologies to bring electricity to homes and communities. We now need to consolidate African expertise and that is our objective."
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Frequently asked questions
Akon, the rapper, gave electricity to African villages through his project Akon Lighting Africa.
Akon Lighting Africa provided solar-powered electricity to African villages via street lamps and solar panels.
Akon Lighting Africa provided electricity to 14 African countries as of 2015. As of 2020, the project has expanded to 25 countries.
Akon, whose real name is Aliaune Thiam, spent a significant portion of his childhood in a town in Senegal that lacked electricity. He experienced firsthand the struggles of living without electricity and decided to help drive Africa's transformation.
Akon has also launched the Solektra Solar Academy in Africa, a school with the aim of teaching young Africans about solar power and how to install and maintain solar equipment. He also set his sights on building a $6 billion city in his Senegal homeland to welcome Africans of the diaspora.
