IllustrativeCreative Economy Rights & Monetization Program through AI
Sierra Leone · Western AreaNational Digital Infrastructure · Creative Economy
A WhatsApp-based platform giving West African musicians a verified artist identity, a registered share in every song and mobile-money payouts, scaling from Sierra Leone and Ghana to all twelve ECOWAS states for an indicative USD 11m.¹
Rationale
Sub-Saharan recorded music grew 15.2% in 2025 to USD 120m, but South Africa took 78.1%, leaving West Africa heavily under-captured.² Most creators there are not identified in royalty systems, agree ownership on a handshake and have no income record a lender accepts.
- Platform
- Artist ID, song registry and payouts over WhatsApp
- Phasing
- Sierra Leone and Ghana, then ten more ECOWAS states
- Stage
- Pre-feasibility; full feasibility study in Phase 1
- Hubs
- Rented or shared space; no land acquired
Investment opportunity
Transaction structure
USD 6.0m over 36 months: USD 1.5m grant and technical assistance, USD 3.0m equity, USD 1.5m concessional or venture debt.¹
Use of funds
Payments integration, local-language versions, registry interoperability, data protection, feasibility studies and country launches.
Revenue basis
Song registration fees, a 15% distribution commission, verification and data services, and credit servicing.
The ask
Phase 1 financing of USD 2.0m with Sierra Leone as first market, plus lenders for a USD 5.0m creator credit facility.
Why it is bankable
Artist ID, song registration and the rights registry already operate in East Africa. Delivery over WhatsApp needs no new app.
Sub-Saharan recorded music grew 15.2% in 2025 to USD 120m, but South Africa took 78.1%, leaving West Africa under-captured.²
The platform never owns artists' rights and earns only a share of the money it moves. Creators keep 85% of distribution income.
Phase 2 opens only once revenue per artist is proven in pilots; Phase 3 once five markets are live and paying.
Data and evidence · Creators today vs with the platform
| Today | With the platform | |
|---|---|---|
| Identity | Not identified in royalty systems | Free verified artist ID over WhatsApp |
| Ownership | Agreed on a handshake, never recorded | Ownership shares recorded before registration |
| Income | Radio, streaming, ringtones never reconciled | One statement, paid to the mobile wallet |
| Credit | No income record a lender accepts | Verified income opens access to credit |
Project readiness and timeline
- OriginationGreenfield
- FeasibilityPre-feasibility done
- StructuringTo follow
- Financial closePost-diligence
- Phase 1 operationsTo follow
Key risks and mitigants
Clearance and compliant controls are needed before linking creator and national ID data; data protection is funded in Phase 1.
Revenue per artist is not yet proven in West Africa; Phase 2 opens only once pilots prove it.
The credit facility sits with partner banks, with strict advance caps and DFI risk-sharing.
Transaction terms
- Instrument sought
- Grant and TA, equity, concessional or venture debt
- Structure
- Separate creator credit facility held by partner banks
- Technology
- Artificial intelligence; WhatsApp-based ID, registry and payouts
- Location
- Sierra Leone first, then all twelve ECOWAS states
- Development stage
- Pre-feasibility; full feasibility study in Phase 1
- Land
- None acquired; rented or shared hub space
- WAIIS pillar
- Digital Transformation
Development impact
Economic
By year 3, creators keep about USD 3.4m a year in distribution income and reach USD 5.0m in revolving credit.¹
Inclusion
Targets of at least 40% women and at least 60% under 35 among registered creators.
Jobs
About 300 direct roles: hub teams and youth rights ambassadors across twelve countries.
Governance
Traceable, taxable creative income and a national rights registry regulators can supervise.