Music catalog of Khalifa Aganaga hits the market at Shs800m

Ugandan musician Khalifa Aganaga has sparked industry debate after revealing plans to put his entire music catalog up for auction, setting the opening price at Shs800 million in what he describes as a bold investment opportunity.

In a recent interview, the singer said his target audience is now Kampala’s affluent business community, whom he believes have not yet fully tapped into the financial value of music ownership.

“I will come and teach all the wealthy people in Kampala about music,” he said, framing the move as an effort to reposition music as a serious asset rather than just entertainment.

At the heart of the proposal is his recorded catalog, built over years in the industry. However, Aganaga’s structure comes with an unusual arrangement: even if the catalog is sold, he intends to keep his performance and image rights.

This means the buyer would own the recordings and earn from them, while Aganaga would continue performing the songs publicly at concerts, weddings, and corporate events—remaining the face of the music while still allowing investors to profit from its use.

The model creates a dual-benefit system where ownership and performance are separated, allowing both the artist and investor to generate income from the same body of work in different ways.

He further outlined a 10-year partnership window, during which the buyer would be expected to recoup returns through streaming, licensing, and other revenue streams, while he maintains the music’s visibility through live shows.

For those seeking full control, Aganaga also said he is willing to include his image rights in the deal, though at a higher valuation of Shs1.5 billion—effectively handing over complete commercial ownership of his brand.

The proposal has positioned itself as one of the most unconventional catalog deals in Uganda’s music scene, raising fresh questions about whether local investors are ready to treat music as a structured financial asset rather than purely creative output.