There was a time in Ghana when calling someone meant enduring that monotonous “tring-tring” limbo. Then came Caller Ring Back Tones (CRBTs), a small technological tweak that turned waiting into a vibe. Instead of sterile ringing, callers were greeted by highlife classics, gospel choruses, or the latest Afrobeats hits. It felt personal. It felt modern.
More importantly, it felt like progress for Ghanaian music.Telecom giants, particularly MTN Ghana with its “CallerTunez” service, rode that wave brilliantly in the mid-to-late 2000s. By around 2008, CRBTs had become a cultural staple across Africa, and Ghana was no exception. Subscribers loved it. Artists gained visibility. Telcos made significant profits.
Everyone seemed to be winning until you looked closer.
The Business of Sound: Who Should Get Paid
Music is not just art. It is layered intellectual property. Every time a song is used commercially, two key streams of royalties are triggered.
First, there are Master Royalties. These go to the owners of the sound recording, usually the artist and their record label. Second, there are Mechanical Royalties. These are owed to the creators behind the music, including songwriters, composers, and publishers.
In the CRBT ecosystem, both should apply. When a telecom company monetizes a song by offering it as a caller tune, it is publicly performing that work. That action should activate both royalty streams.
It sounds straightforward. In practice, it is far from it.
The Reality Check: A Skewed System
Start with what artists actually receive, because even that is a problem. In Ghana’s CRBT model, telecom companies typically take about 70 percent of the revenue. The remaining 30 percent goes to intermediaries or aggregators, who then split it further. This often leaves artists and labels with roughly 15 percent before tax. After deductions, the take-home figure is about 12 percent.
That alone has triggered years of complaints from musicians who feel shortchanged by a system that depends heavily on their creativity.
However, the situation gets worse.
While artists and labels receive at least something, the creators behind the composition get nothing. Songwriters, composers, and publishers are completely excluded. Mechanical royalties, which are standard practice globally for such use cases, have not been paid by telecom companies in Ghana since CRBTs became widespread in 2012.
An entire class of rights holders has effectively been erased from the revenue chain.
Nine Years in Court and Still Waiting
This issue is not new. The Ghana Music Rights Organisation (GHAMRO), which protects the interests of music creators, identified the problem early and began pushing for compliance as far back as 2012.
When discussions failed, legal action followed.
After nearly a decade of legal proceedings, the matter was settled in court. On March 10, 2021, an Accra High Court presided over by Justice Jennifer Abena Dadzie ruled in favor of GHAMRO. The court confirmed that telecom companies such as MTN, Vodafone, and AirtelTigo were obligated to pay the appropriate royalties. It also awarded GHAMRO GHS 60,000 in legal costs.
It should have marked a turning point.
Instead, the outcome has been disappointing. Years later, payments remain inconsistent or absent. The ruling has not translated into meaningful change for those affected.
A Curious Double Standard
The situation becomes more troubling when viewed in a broader context. These same telecom companies operate in other countries where they comply with royalty structures, including the payment of mechanical royalties.
In those markets, they follow the rules.
So why not in Ghana?
This raises uncomfortable questions about regulatory enforcement and corporate priorities. It suggests that non-compliance in Ghana may be seen as a manageable risk rather than a serious obligation.
That perception does little to inspire confidence in the system.
The Silent Casualties: Songwriters and Composers
Behind every successful song is a network of creators who rarely receive public recognition. The songwriter crafts the lyrics. The composer shapes the melody. The publisher ensures the work reaches audiences.
These contributors are essential. Yet in the CRBT ecosystem, they have been consistently excluded.
This is not just a financial issue. It is a structural problem. Denying mechanical royalties discourages songwriting as a sustainable career. It weakens the foundation of the music industry and limits its long-term growth.
When the people responsible for creating music are not compensated, the entire system suffers.
Beyond Optics: A Matter of Integrity
Telecom companies in Ghana often present themselves as supporters of the creative industry. They sponsor events, partner with artists, and invest in entertainment initiatives.
These efforts are visible and appreciated. However, they do not replace the need for fairness in core business practices.
Failing to meet royalty obligations, especially after a court ruling, undermines these efforts. It shifts the narrative from genuine support to selective engagement.
For an industry already facing challenges such as piracy and limited revenue streams, this kind of gap in accountability is damaging.
Time to Close the Loop
This is not a request for goodwill. It is a call for compliance.
The legal framework exists. The court has delivered its judgment. The industry has shown patience for years.
What is required now is enforcement. Regulators must ensure that rulings are respected. Industry bodies must continue to advocate for creators. Telecom companies must recognize that long-term success depends on fairness and transparency.
Pay the Piper or Lose the Tune
Caller Ring Back Tones transformed ordinary phone calls into a platform for Ghanaian music. They created a new revenue stream and brought local sounds into everyday life.
However, innovation without fairness leads to exploitation.
Telecom companies have benefited significantly from the work of Ghanaian artists and composers. It is only right that they honor all the rights associated with that work.
If the people who create the music continue to be ignored, the system will eventually collapse under its own imbalance.
The debt is clear. The obligation is legal. The time for delay has passed.
It is time to pay up.
