Akon has sparked fresh debate after claiming that Nigeria could have rivaled New York and London as a global financial hub if it had kept full control of its oil proceeds since 1960. The singer believes Lagos had all the ingredients — population, resources, and creativity — to lead Africa’s economic revolution.
The Senegalese-American superstar’s comments shed light on decades of lost opportunities and mismanaged wealth that could’ve rewritten Nigeria’s destiny. He argued that the nation’s natural riches, if properly reinvested, would have turned Lagos into the beating heart of global commerce.
Could Akon’s vision still be realized with today’s tech-driven youth and growing private sector influence? Or has Nigeria missed its golden economic era?
