08/25/2025
Understanding Collective Management Organizations and the Rise of Private CMOs in Africa
A Collective Management Organization (CMO) is essentially the middleman for creativity—a body that manages rights and royalties on behalf of copyright owners. Instead of every musician, writer, filmmaker, or publisher chasing individual users of their work, the CMO operates as a “one-stop shop.” It collects royalties, issues licenses, enforces copyright laws, and distributes earnings back to the creators. Think of it as an air traffic controller for intellectual property: ensuring that broadcasters, bars, clubs, streaming platforms, and other users of creative works pay fair fees so that creators are compensated without fighting endless legal battles.
The Impact of Private CMOs
Most CMOs around the world are structured as non-profits, but private CMOs—organizations run with a profit motive—are emerging rapidly, especially in Africa. Their rise is both promising and challenging:
Positive impact:
• Competition and efficiency: Private CMOs often force old, bureaucratic, or state-run agencies to modernize. This can mean better transparency and quicker royalty distribution.
• Technology adoption: Many private CMOs use digital tracking tools, online licensing, and even blockchain-style reporting to make collections and payouts faster and more accurate.
• Artist empowerment: They position themselves as artist-first alternatives, especially where state monopolies have been accused of corruption or inefficiency.
Negative impact:
• Fragmentation: When too many CMOs compete for the same users, markets become confusing and bargaining power weakens.
• Profit motive conflicts: Without strong oversight, some private CMOs might prioritize quick profits over fair and long-term benefit to artists.
• Legal uncertainty: In countries where law mandates a single CMO, private CMOs often operate in gray zones, sparking legal disputes.
African Countries with Private CMOs
Private CMOs are most common where public agencies have struggled or lost credibility. Some notable examples include:
• Nigeria: Home to several CMOs such as COSON (Copyright Society of Nigeria) and MCSN (Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria), competing for market dominance.
• Ghana: The Ghana Music Rights Organization (GHAMRO) remains state-backed, but alternative CMOs and startups are emerging, some unrecognized by government.
• Kenya: Longtime agency MCSK has faced scandals, opening the door for private-style organizations covering performers and producers.
• South Africa: A more mature market with multiple CMOs, including SAMRO, CAPASSO, and SAMPRA. Though historically non-profits, some now operate with commercial models and compete in specialized niches.
• Liberia: The state-run Copyright Society of Liberia (COSOL) faces criticism for inefficiency, prompting some creators to push for private CMOs or to affiliate with foreign agencies.
• Uganda: The Uganda Registration Services Bureau recognizes multiple CMOs, including private ones for performers and authors.
• Tanzania & Zambia: Experimenting with multiple CMOs, especially in music and publishing, as private players step in to fill gaps.
The Big Picture
CMOs are the financial arteries of the creative economy, channeling payments from music users to the artists who create the work. Where governments keep strict monopolies, inefficiency and corruption often slow or block the flow. Where private CMOs exist, creators may enjoy more choice and innovation, but without strong regulation, the system can become chaotic. For African creators, understanding and navigating these organizations is key to turning their talent into sustainable income.
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