By Watchdog Uganda Correspondent
June 10, 2026
The Uganda Performing Rights Society (UPRS) has announced the distribution of UGX 216 million in royalties to its members for the 2025 financial period, describing the payout as another milestone in its efforts to strengthen the collective management of music rights in Uganda.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, UPRS Chairman Martin Nkoyoyo said the royalties were generated from licensing fees collected for the public use of music across various sectors. However, he acknowledged that many members remain dissatisfied, with some artists receiving amounts that fall short of the true value of their creative works.
“We recognize that many members continue to have high expectations regarding royalty earnings and that the amounts received by some rights holders may not yet reflect the true value of their creative works,” the statement read.
UPRS said its Board and Management remain committed to increasing collections, improving transparency, and ensuring fairer royalty distributions in the years ahead.
Persistent Challenges in Royalty Collection
The latest distribution comes against the backdrop of long-standing challenges within Uganda’s music royalty ecosystem. The sector has struggled with weak copyright enforcement, limited monitoring of music usage across broadcasters, public venues, hospitality establishments, and digital platforms, as well as relatively low revenue collections compared to the industry’s potential.
In October 2025, UPRS entered into a partnership with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) to strengthen governance, improve compliance, enhance timely remittances, and boost copyright enforcement through the deployment of certified Copyright Inspectors. The initiative is expected to increase licensing compliance and ultimately improve royalty earnings for musicians.
According to UPRS, equitable royalty distribution depends largely on accurate data showing where, when, and how music is used. The society says it is investing in improved monitoring technologies, stronger stakeholder engagement, and data-driven systems to ensure future distributions more accurately reflect actual music consumption.
Commitment to Reform
UPRS emphasized that all royalties collected are held in trust for rights holders and distributed in accordance with its established policies and internationally accepted principles governing collective management organizations.
The society appealed to members for continued patience as ongoing reforms take effect.
“We remain optimistic about the future and confident that the measures being implemented today will result in stronger collections, improved monitoring, and more meaningful royalty returns in the years ahead,” the statement added.
Industry Reaction
While the latest payout has been welcomed as a sign of progress, several artists and industry stakeholders continue to call for accelerated reforms. Among their priorities are stronger enforcement of copyright laws, improved digital licensing frameworks, wider compliance by music users, and reduced administrative costs to ensure a greater share of collected revenue reaches creators.
UPRS represents musicians, composers, songwriters, and music publishers, collecting licensing fees from broadcasters, entertainment venues, hospitality businesses, and other commercial users of copyrighted music before distributing royalties to rights holders.
As Uganda’s creative economy continues to expand, the effectiveness and transparency of royalty collection and distribution will remain central to ensuring that artists receive fair compensation for their work.
Watchdog Uganda will continue to monitor developments in the creative sector and report on efforts aimed at strengthening accountability and improving the livelihoods of Uganda’s musicians.
Members are advised to access their individual royalty statements through official UPRS communication channels or visit the UPRS website for more information on membership and royalty distribution procedures.
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