GHAMRO, Apprise Music in talks to boost rights management in Ghana

The engagement, held on 1 July 2025 at Apprise Music’s offices in Accra, brought together executives from both organisations to identify potential areas of collaboration in support of Ghanaian music creators.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, GHAMRO expressed gratitude for the reception and reaffirmed its commitment to working with Apprise Music to align music rights data, improve the use of identifiers, and advance industry standards in royalty tracking.

Key objectives of the proposed partnership include developing a unified metadata system for musical works and sound recordings, hosting joint workshops and seminars for rights holders and stakeholders and launching public education campaigns to promote copyright awareness.

“This is more than a courtesy call, it is the beginning of a framework that connects copyright enforcement, accurate metadata, and digital distribution,” Apprise Music founder Michael Bamfo said. “Together with GHAMRO and other stakeholders, we aim to build an ecosystem where Ghanaian songs remain discoverable, creditable, and monetizable over time.”

GHAMRO, the organisation mandated to collect and distribute royalties to music rights holders in Ghana, emphasised the importance of bringing additional partners such as the Ghana Association of Phonographic Industries (GAPI) into future discussions. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) is currently being drafted to outline operational roles, joint activities, and a roadmap for collaborative interventions within the sector.

“The goal is to ensure a more transparent and artist-friendly music industry,” GHAMRO representative said. “Collaborating with distribution platforms like Apprise Music allows us to extend our impact, especially in areas where metadata accuracy directly influences royalty distribution.”

Both institutions have also expressed interest in launching joint media initiatives, training programmes, and advocacy efforts to further build awareness around copyright and data management.

Apprise Music, which offers digital distribution, artist services, and copyright education, currently works with notable Ghanaian artists and catalogue owners such as Amakye Dede, Eno Barony, Abiana, and Afro Moses. The company also collaborates with industry bodies including MUSIGA and GAPI.

A formal agreement is expected to be signed in the coming weeks, with further details and implementation plans to be announced publicly.