Ghana’s Streaming Future: Navigating Challenges and Opportunities for Local Content Creation

“Is it my fault?” was her response as she glanced over my shoulder, searching for the waiter who never arrived to take our order.

Adwoa, a top executive at a leading global streaming giant, has been grappling with the perplexing trend of her company’s platform seemingly favoring other host countries over Ghana. We had met for breakfast a week earlier, where she shared her insights on the streaming landscape.

According to Adwoa, the data supported her company’s decisions: South Africa boasts an established cultural framework, while Nigeria’s large population offers commercial advantages. This starkly highlights one undeniable reality: Ghana’s path to successful digital content creation hinges on developing a robust and structured framework.

Thus, it felt somewhat out of touch when Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia confidently announced the launch of a local streaming platform set for November.

Dr. Bawumia’s declaration emphasized that this would be Ghana’s first local music and movie streaming service, aimed at providing better financial rewards for Ghanaian creatives. While this announcement is certainly exciting, it raises important questions about feasibility, potential challenges, and whether it will deliver on its promises or become another unfulfilled government initiative.

Don’t get me wrong; the idea is commendable and very achievable, especially considering the frustrations Ghanaian artists have faced when trying to earn a living from existing platforms.

In theory, a local streaming platform could empower artists to better manage their revenue, but its success will largely depend on the platform’s ability to attract users.

Local startups have attempted similar ventures but have struggled to achieve commercial success, making the upcoming platform’s claim of being the first of its kind rather questionable. Consumers in Ghana are already accustomed to established services like Netflix, so any new platform will need to offer an exceptional user experience, competitive pricing, and compelling content to entice them to switch.

One of the biggest obstacles is the absence of a well-defined framework for implementing digital revenue collection mechanisms. Adwoa expressed her concerns about the ease of accessing data in the South African market, highlighting how it enables effective genre-specific campaigns.

Moreover, issues of internet accessibility and data costs cannot be overlooked. Streaming services require substantial bandwidth, and with data costs in Ghana still relatively high, many potential users may find themselves priced out of the market.

Additionally, the local platform will face fierce competition from well-established international players. For instance, Netflix invested $175 million in South Africa, Nigeria, and Kenya between 2016 and 2022, as reported in their impact report released in April 2022. Will the government be willing to match such investments to ensure the success of its project?

It’s crucial to recognize that the two primary revenue sources for streaming platforms are advertisements and subscriptions. To make this platform appealing, it will require exclusive content, affordable data partnerships, and aggressive marketing strategies. Furthermore, the complexities of royalty management must be carefully addressed. Ensuring transparency and timely payments to artists will be essential for building trust within the creative community.

The local creative industry is currently plagued by significant issues regarding royalties and alternative payment channels. I would have preferred that priority be given to resolving these challenges to ensure musicians and filmmakers can earn a decent income from their work.

The intricacies of publishing and managing royalties present their own set of challenges. Effective royalty management will be a critical aspect of the platform’s value proposition. However, previous efforts by organizations like GHAMRO to track and distribute royalties have faced obstacles due to outdated systems and a lack of transparency.

To avoid repeating these mistakes, the new platform must establish robust mechanisms for accurately tracking streams and fairly distributing royalties to artists.

If the government is serious about pursuing this initiative, I have a few suggestions—even though I believe the presidential candidate may be putting the cart before the horse in this situation.

To avoid becoming a white elephant, this platform needs a solid sustainability plan. Emphasizing public-private partnerships could ensure professional management and operational success.

Collaborating with telecom companies to provide affordable streaming bundles could significantly reduce data costs for users.

Most importantly, the platform must remain adaptable and continuously improve—adding new features, updating its content library, meeting copyright demands, and ensuring artists benefit in terms of royalties and exposure.

Without ongoing updates and investments, the platform risks fading into obscurity, much like many government-backed projects that have come before it.

Let’s hope the sweet talk delivered at Dr. Bawumia’s stakeholder engagement doesn’t mirror the inattentiveness of my waiter during breakfast with Adwoa. He never showed up until my time was up, and I’m still mad about it… lol.