Ghana Music Rights Organization

GHAMRO (Ghana Music Rights Organization) is a non-profit collective management organization based in Accra that collects and distributes royalties on behalf of Ghanaian music copyright holders. Established under Section 49 of the Copyright Law, Act 690 of 2005 and regulated under L.I. 1962 of 2010, it represents authors, composers, and publishers across broadcast, public performance, mechanical, and synchronization rights. Before GHAMRO's creation, royalty collection in Ghana was handled by the Copyright Society of Ghana.

How GHAMRO Works

GHAMRO operates as Ghana's sole collective management organization for music rights. It licenses businesses and organizations that publicly use copyrighted music, including radio and television broadcasters, live performance venues, digital streaming platforms, and establishments that play background music.

The organization collects royalties across multiple revenue streams:

• Broadcast royalties: Collected from radio and television stations that play copyrighted music.
• Public performance royalties: Collected from venues, events, and businesses that play music publicly.
• Digital royalties: Collected from streaming platforms and digital services used in Ghana.
• Live performance royalties: Collected from concert promoters and event organizers.
• Mechanical royalties: Collected for the reproduction of musical works.
• Synchronization royalties: Collected for the use of music in audiovisual productions.

GHAMRO follows CISAC professional rules for Collective Management Organizations, combined with a hybrid methodology designed for Ghana's music sector. The organization provides detailed real-time statements to rights holders, offering transparency on how royalties flow across all revenue streams.

In December 2025, GHAMRO distributed GH¢856,700 to rights holders across digital, live performance, and broadcast categories. This distribution followed the CISAC framework while incorporating a hybrid system suited to Ghana's evolving music industry. The organization has been working to integrate global best practices into its distribution methodology.

As of February 2024, the CEO of GHAMRO is Jackson Brefo. The organization has faced criticism historically regarding royalty payments to stakeholders, partly due to the failure of music users in Ghana to pay for the use of music. GHAMRO has been working to improve compliance and transparency under its current leadership.

Real-World Example

A Ghanaian highlife composer registers 30 original songs with GHAMRO. A radio station in Accra plays 10 of those songs regularly, a streaming platform reports 80,000 streams of 15 songs, and three venues in Kumasi hold public performance licenses covering background music.

GHAMRO collects license fees from all three sources. The radio station's usage logs show which songs were played and how frequently. The streaming platform reports digital usage data. The venues pay annual blanket license fees.

In the December 2025 distribution cycle, GHAMRO distributed GH¢856,700 total across all rights holders. If the composer's 30 songs accounted for 0.5% of total reported usage across all licensed sources in that period, the composer would receive approximately GH¢4,283 (0.5% of GH¢856,700). The exact amount depends on the hybrid distribution methodology, which weights different revenue streams according to CISAC rules adapted for the Ghanaian market.

For comparison, some Ghanaian artists have reported receiving modest royalty payments over extended periods. In 2024, gospel artist Joyce Blessing reported receiving GH¢1,200 from GHAMRO over 10 years in music, highlighting the challenges the organization faces with music user compliance and collection efficiency in Ghana.

Why It Matters for Independent Artists

If you are a Ghanaian songwriter, composer, or publisher, GHAMRO membership is the only practical mechanism to collect royalties for your works within Ghana. The organization offers membership to rights holders who assign their rights for collective management.

Once registered, ensure your works are properly documented with correct metadata, split sheets, and ISRC codes. GHAMRO's distribution depends on accurate usage reporting from licensees, so properly registered works are more likely to be matched and paid. The organization's shift to real-time statements and detailed reporting means rights holders can now track their earnings with greater transparency.

For non-Ghanaian artists, GHAMRO matters if your music is performed in Ghana. Your home PRO should collect from GHAMRO through reciprocal agreements. However, GHAMRO's collection efficiency has historically been limited by low compliance rates among music users in Ghana. Many businesses continue to play copyrighted music without securing the requisite licenses. If you have significant airplay or streaming activity in Ghana, verify with your PRO that Ghanaian collections are covered and consider whether your publisher has direct representation in the market.

GHAMRO's adoption of CISAC professional rules and its hybrid distribution methodology represent progress toward more reliable royalty collection in Ghana. The December 2025 distribution of GH¢856,700 across multiple revenue streams signals a shift toward greater transparency and accountability.

Territory Covered

GHAMRO covers the entire territory of Ghana. It is the sole collective management organization for music rights in Ghana, licensed under Copyright Regulation L.I. 1962 and Copyright Amendment Regulation L.I. 2469. It licenses music usage across all regions of Ghana, including radio and television broadcasters, live performance venues, digital streaming platforms, commercial establishments that play background music, and organizations that use music in audiovisual productions.

How to Join and Membership Fees

GHAMRO offers membership to original composers, lyricists, and music publishers who assign their rights for collective management. The membership process requires:

• One-time registration fee: GH₵50 (or GH₵30 with a MUSIGA subsidy for MUSIGA members)
• Eligibility: Open to original composers and lyricists who can demonstrate ownership of copyrighted musical works
• Requirements: Assignment of performing and reproduction rights to GHAMRO for collective management, along with proper documentation of works including metadata, split sheets, and ISRC codes

Members must register their works with GHAMRO to ensure accurate royalty matching. The organization provides real-time statements to rights holders, offering transparency on how royalties flow across all revenue streams.

Overhead Rate

GHAMRO's financial structure, as outlined by regulation, allocates collected revenue as follows:

• 30% for administration: Covers operational costs, staff salaries, and infrastructure
• 10% for welfare: Allocated to welfare programs for rights holders
• 60% for distribution: Paid to rights holders as royalties

This means GHAMRO retains approximately 40% of collected revenue for administration and welfare before distributing the remaining 60% to members. The organization has acknowledged that this overhead rate is partly driven by the costs of operating as a private entity without government funding, and by the challenges of collecting revenue from non-compliant music users.

Royalty Distribution Schedule

GHAMRO distributes royalties twice yearly, in June and December. Recent distributions include:

• December 2025: GH₵856,700 distributed across digital, live events, synchronisation, blank media levy, and general public performance categories
• July 2026: GHS1,433,571.43 distributed, the organization's highest-ever digital royalty distribution, covering background music, digital mechanical, digital performance, and live performance royalties

Beginning with the July 2026 distribution, every beneficiary receives a personalised royalty statement showing exactly which quarters generated their earnings. The highest individual recipient in the July 2026 cycle received GHS121,000.

GHAMRO has adopted the WIPO-Connect platform in partnership with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) to modernise its royalty distribution system. The organization follows CISAC professional rules combined with a hybrid methodology designed for Ghana's music industry, using Title-Specific Allocation for digital revenue.

Reciprocal Agreements

GHAMRO is a member of CISAC and follows CISAC professional rules for Collective Management Organizations. Through CISAC membership, GHAMRO has reciprocal agreements with foreign societies that allow it to collect royalties for Ghanaian members whose works are performed abroad and to remit royalties to foreign societies whose works are performed in Ghana.

GHAMRO has recorded its strongest international royalty collections in 2026, reflecting growth in the global consumption of Ghanaian music. The organization's partnership with WIPO and adoption of the WIPO-Connect platform has improved its ability to process international collections and distribute them to members.

Notable Members

GHAMRO's membership and leadership include several prominent Ghanaian musicians and industry figures:

• Rex Omar (Rex Owusu Marfo): Highlife artist, former chairman of GHAMRO, and advocate for copyright protections for Ghanaian musicians
• Bessa Simons: Prolific songwriter, keyboardist, singer, former member of Osibisa, and GHAMRO board member
• Diana Hopeson: Gospel singer, former president of MUSIGA, GHAMRO board member and second vice chairman
• Nat Brew: Highlife artist, deputy chairman of GHAMRO, and head of mission for the Pan-African Composers and Songwriters Alliance (PACSA)

Comparison Table

Videos

Similar PROs

• COSON - Copyright Society of Nigeria, the primary CMO in West Africa's largest music market
• MCSK - Music Copyright Society of Kenya, serving a similar East African market
• SAMRO - South African Music Rights Organisation, the largest PRO in Southern Africa
• KOSCAP - Kosovo Copyright and Related Rights Association, another emerging-market PRO

Related Resources

• Performing Rights Organizations (PRO) - What a PRO is and how it functions
• Performance Royalties - How performance royalties are generated and collected
• Mechanical Royalties - How mechanical royalties work alongside performance royalties
• Collective Management Organization (CMO) - How CMOs operate globally
• Copyright - The legal framework behind royalty collection in Ghana
• GHAMRO Official Website - Visit GHAMRO for membership and licensing information
• Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to estimate your digital earnings