Ghana Music Xperience launched on 30 October 2024 at the De Iconic Events Centre in Accra. Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia presided. Minister of Tourism, Creative Arts, and Culture Andrew Egyapa Mercer attended. MUSIGA President Bessa Simons was present. The platform was announced as operational from January 2025.
The pitch was significant: a Ghanaian streaming platform with AI-powered music recommendations, royalty tracking, and split-sheet management. Track your plays, collect your royalties, understand your audience. The government framing was equally clear: this was part of the NPP's digitalisation agenda, two weeks before a presidential election.
Eighteen months later, the Google Play Store shows 10,000+ downloads and 135 reviews. The Apple App Store shows 17 ratings. No musician has publicly confirmed receiving a royalty payment.
Who owns GMX
The platform is formally owned by GMX Multimedia. Ferviddy could not find publicly available information about who founded GMX Multimedia, who its directors are, or when it was incorporated.
The platform was developed by Omni Strategies Limited, led by CEO Francis Blay. Omni Strategies is a subsidiary of AKOFIS Group, a Ghanaian conglomerate established in 2018 with five subsidiaries spanning engineering, insurance, digital lottery, e-governance, and technology.
Ato Aduenu Tandoh is described in some coverage as General Manager of Omni Strategies and in other coverage as CEO of GMX. His role straddles both entities.
Akisi Ackah is Director of Marketing and Communications at GMX Multimedia. Her LinkedIn profile also lists her as Chief Marketing Officer at the Jospong Group of Companies, one of Ghana's largest private conglomerates with extensive government contracts.
[REPORTER: Verify GMX Multimedia's corporate registration at the Registrar General's Department. Who are the directors and shareholders? When was it incorporated? Is there any overlap with AKOFIS Group, Omni Strategies, or Jospong Group at the ownership level?]
The funding contradiction
At the launch, Bawumia stated the government would provide funding for GMX's development expenses. After political blowback, Ackah reframed the statement: Bawumia was referring to the GHAMRO monitoring component, not the streaming app. She said the government provides operational and other support, not necessarily funds.
Rex Omar said on UTV that GMX is owned by a private individual who invited Bawumia to launch it. Ola Michael said the spokesperson specifically called it privately owned, so the government should not take credit for it.
[REPORTER: Ask Akisi Ackah directly: did GMX Multimedia receive any government funding, in any form, at any point? Ask the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (now under Abla Dzifa Gomashie) whether any public funds were allocated to GMX. Check the 2024 budget estimates for MoTCCA for any line item that could correspond.]
