Grace Nakimera says she received just UGX 1 million in royalties from the Uganda Performing Right Society (UPRS), a payment that left the Ugandan singer questioning how earnings from her music have been calculated over the years.
Nakimera joins a growing number of Ugandan musicians who have publicly discussed receiving royalty payments from UPRS. But for the singer, the amount she received raised more questions than answers.
“They gave me Shs 1 million and I ate it,” Nakimera said. She then questioned whether the payment could really represent royalties accumulated from her music since 2004.
“I asked myself, is the money from 2004 to now, 20 years, making only UGX 1 million? Meaning they have paid me UGX 1,000 for every song or Shs 400 for all those years.”
Her concern centers on how royalties collected on behalf of musicians are ultimately calculated and distributed.
Nakimera argued that the figures did not make sense to her, considering how long she has been releasing music and the number of songs in her catalogue.
The singer said she believes there should be greater accountability around the system, including an inquiry into how artists’ royalty money is handled and distributed.
The payment itself was delivered directly to Nakimera’s phone, according to the singer. She said she spent the money immediately before later reflecting on the amount and questioning the payment.
“I ate the money right away and complained after. They send the money on your phone but I used it immediately,” she said.
Nakimera’s comments add another voice to the ongoing conversation among Ugandan musicians about music royalties and the payments they receive for the use of their work.
For the singer, however, the issue is bigger than the UGX 1 million she received. Her central question is how two decades of music can translate into a payment she believes deserves closer scrutiny.