GHAMRO to distribute over GH¢1.4 million in royalties as new transparency measures take effect

• GHAMRO will begin distributing GH¢1.43 million in royalties to Ghanaian musicians and rights holders from 27 July 2026, with the highest individual payment reaching GH¢121,000.

• The organisation will introduce personalised royalty statements for the first time, showing beneficiaries the specific revenue sources and periods that contributed to their payments.

• GHAMRO says improved digital monitoring systems have boosted collections, but licensing challenges with music users and broadcasters remain a major obstacle to maximising royalty revenue.

The payout forms part of the organisation's biannual royalty distribution programme and marks a significant milestone in its efforts to modernise the management of music rights in Ghana.

For the first time, every beneficiary will receive a personalised royalty statement outlining the specific revenue streams and accounting periods that contributed to their payment. The initiative is expected to address longstanding concerns among musicians about how royalties are calculated and distributed.

According to JoyNews; in total, GH¢1,433,571.43 will be shared among eligible creators across multiple royalty categories.

The breakdown includes:

READ MORE: Canada and 2 other countries where Ghanaian students can legally work while studying in 2026

• GH¢500,000 in background music royalties for the first and second quarters of 2026.

• GH¢706,149.55 in digital mechanical royalties, largely generated during the third and fourth quarters of 2025.

• GH¢160,641.88 in digital performance royalties from the same period.

• GH¢66,780 in live performance royalties.

The highest individual payment in this distribution cycle amounts to GH¢121,000, reflecting the impact of improved music usage monitoring and stronger royalty collections.

GHAMRO also revealed that it has recorded its highest-ever digital collections and largest international royalty income since the organisation was established in 2011.

The organisation attributes much of this progress to the adoption of advanced rights management technologies. These include WIPO Connect for repertoire management, ACRCloud for broadcast monitoring, CIS-Net for international rights data exchange, and CISAC standards for copyright administration, bringing GHAMRO's operations closer to international best practice.

READ MORE: Daddy Lumba's family clashes with Abusuapanyin Tupac over first anniversary plans

Despite these achievements, GHAMRO acknowledged that unresolved licensing issues continue to affect its ability to maximise royalty collections within Ghana.

According to the organisation, businesses and broadcasters that use copyrighted music without obtaining the appropriate licences reduce the amount of revenue available for distribution, ultimately affecting composers, performers, producers and publishers.

Established to replace the Copyright Society of Ghana (COSGA), GHAMRO was created to modernise the country's royalty administration system. While the latest payout reflects significant progress towards that objective, the organisation noted that resolving the ongoing licensing impasse through the Office of the Attorney General remains essential.

READ MORE: Top 10 countries with the world's most handsome men in 2026, according to the latest rankings

GHAMRO also said it intends to strengthen education for rights holders by helping creators better understand how royalties are calculated, the importance of registering their works correctly, and the role accurate metadata plays in ensuring fair payments.

The organisation further plans to improve its digital self-service platforms and accelerate the resolution of royalty disputes to strengthen confidence among musicians and other stakeholders.

With record royalty distributions and the introduction of detailed payment statements, GHAMRO believes the July 2026 payout represents an important step towards a more transparent and accountable royalty system for Ghana's music industry.