RECORDED MUSIC INDUSTRY OVERVIEW


Mali


Africa

Potential of Recorded Music

We estimate the potential of recorded music value available to songwriters, music performers, publishers, and producers in Mali. These are annual revenue levels achievable within a well‑functioning market supported by critical infrastructure, including robust policies, adequate legal frameworks, and effective collective management organizations and other enforcement mechanisms. By identifying these factors as the necessary drivers of growth, we quantify the opportunity cost of their absence.

The potential value calculations are based on CISAC, ICMP, and IFPI data. We used an econometric model and a cluster analysis approach to benchmark Mali against peer markets and reflect achievable collection levels given their unique socio‑economic contexts. We also factored in a series of foundational assumptions and collective rights management expertise to provide a stable and realistic valuation.


[+] RECORDED MUSIC POTENTIAL VALUEThe figure for the recorded music includes copyright (songwriters, lyricists and music publishers) and neighbouring rights (music performers and recorded music producers, i.e., record labels) and reflects the potential value in 2027. It is based on the analysis using 2023 as a baseline valuation and five-year projections through 2027. 2023 was selected as the baseline year of the analysis to reflect the most recent complete annual music industry revenue data. The following revenue streams are included in the calculation:

1) Copyright: digital, performance rights (radio & TV broadcasting, rebroadcasting & retransmission, background music and private copying levies), CD & video, synchronisation and other;

2) Neighbouring rights: Streaming, performance rights (radio & TV broadcasting, cablecasting, cable retransmission, public performance, dubbing, private copying levies, and internet (webcasting, simulcasting, catch-up) licensing), downloads & digital, physical and synchronisation.

Coming soon

Socioeconomic Indicators


24,478,595


[+] GDP PPPmillions, 2024 data, using constant 2021 international $.


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via World Bank Development Indicators database. Accessed 15/01/2026.

$71,384


[+] GDP PER CAPITA (nominal)2024 data, USD


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via World Bank, using national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files. Accessed 15/01/2026.

$1,094.62


4.99%

[+] GDP GROWTH (annual %)2024 data


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via World Bank, using national accounts data, and OECD National Accounts data files. Accessed 15/01/2026.

[+] GINI INDEX2021 data


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Accessed 15/01/2026.

35.7%


[+] INFLATION RATEAnnual % change, 2026 data


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via IMF World Economic Outlook. Accessed 16/01/2026.

2%


[+] POPULATION BY AGE GROUP%, 2025 data


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via US Census Bureau International Database (IDB). Accessed 16/01/2026.

[+] URBAN POPULATION%, 2024 data


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via World Bank, using United Nations Population Division database. Accessed 16/01/2026.

31.61%


[+] UNEMPLOYMENT RATE2024 estimate


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via CIA World Factbook. Accessed 16/01/2026.

3.10%


[+] YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE2024 estimate


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via CIA World Factbook. Accessed 16/01/2026.

4%


[+] POVERTY RATE2021 data


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Poverty rate at $3.00 a day (2021 PPP) (% population).Data via Poverty and Inequality Platform, The World Bank. Accessed 15/01/2026.

36.10%


[+] INTERNET PENETRATIONITU estimate, 2023


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via International Telecommunication Union (ITU) DataHub. Accessed 15/01/2026.

35.10%


[+] GLOBAL ACCOUNT OWNERSHIPpercentage of respondents who report having an account (by themselves or together with someone else) at a bank or another type of financial institution or report personally using a mobile money service in the past 12 months (% age 15+), 2024 data


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via World Bank Global Findex Database. Accessed 15/01/2026.

54.75%


[+] CREDIT CARD OWNERSHIPThe percentage of respondents who report having a credit card, % age 15+, 2024 data


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via World Bank Global Financial Inclusion Database. Accessed 20/04/2026.

4.34%


[+] MOBILE DATA COSTAverage price of 1GB data, USD, 2023 data


EXPLANATORY NOTES: Data via Cable.co.uk. Accessed 20/04/2026.

$4.56

Industry Infrastructure

Collective Management Organisations


Authors & Publishers

[+] EXPLANATORY NOTESRepresents collective management organizations covering mechanical and performance rights for musical compositions.

Performers

[+] EXPLANATORY NOTES Represents collective management organizations covering neighbouring/related rights for performers.

Producers

[+] EXPLANATORY NOTESRepresents collective management organizations covering neighbouring/related rights for producers.

Voluntary Joint Ventures & Umbrella entities for licensing users

None

[+] EXPLANATORY NOTESRepresents joint ventures and umbrella entities that exist to help streamline and manage licensing, often working to create efficiencies around licensing specific rights. For example, PPL PRS Ltd. is a JV between the UK’s two music licensing organisations – PPL and PRS for Music, that provides a streamlined music licensing service that allows businesses to obtain all the licenses necessary to play and perform music in public via a single point of contact.

Associations


Music Authors


Music Publishers

None


Music Performers


Sound Recording Producers/Labels

None


Other


Music Export Office

None


Joint Industry Body

None


Policies


Culture Policy/Strategy

None


Music Policy/Strategy

None

Legal Framework

Digital and Performance Rights Treaties

Other Treaties


National Copyright Legislation

National Treatment

  • Mali protects works of foreign authors who have habitual residence or registered office in Mali, works first published in Mali or first published in another country and simultaneously published in Mali within 30 days, and in accordance with treaties Mali is a party. 

    Qualifying foreign authors enjoy protection concerning performance rights and digital exploitation of the eligible works.

  • Mali protects the rights of foreign performers and producers of phonograms in accordance with the treaties Mali is a party.

    Mali also protects the rights of foreign performers if the performance takes place in Mali, is recorded in a protected phonogram or incorporated in a protected broadcast (i.e., when the headquarters of the broadcasting organisation is in Mali or the transmitting station is situated in Mali). Phonograms are protected if the first fixation was made in Mali and if the phonogram was first published in Mali.

    Qualifying foreign performers and producers of phonograms enjoy protection concerning performance rights and digital exploitation of their fixed performances and phonograms, respectively.

  • “National Treatment” refers to the assimilation of the treatment of foreign right holders to that of domestic right holders. It is a basic rule of most international conventions and mandates that foreign rights holders from contracting countries must receive the protection within any other contracting country as that country grants to its own nationals, ensuring equal rights under the scope of the relevant convention.

    General national treatment obligations are set out in Article 5 of the Berne Convention and Article 2 of the Rome Convention, providing that the members of respective conventions must grant to each other’s nationals the rights provided in the convention. Berne Convention also extends the national treatment to “the rights which their respective laws do now or may hereafter grant to their nationals,” while Rome Convention members are not obliged to extend national treatment to the rights of performers and producers of phonograms which are accorded under their national law over and above the rights enshrined in the Rome Convention.

    The criteria for eligibility for protection are provided in Article 3 of the Berne Convention and Articles 4 and 5 of the Rome Convention. With regards to national treatment of producers of phonograms, members of the Rome Convention may reserve the right not to apply either the criterion of fixation or that of publication of the phonogram.

    As per WIPO, the total number of members to the key treaties above is as follows:

    Berne Convention: 181 Members
    Rome Convention: 98 Members
    WIPO Copyright Treaty: 118 Members
    WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty: 114 Members
    TRIPS Agreement: 166 Members

    This is a high-level overview concerning national treatment of music authors, performers and producers of phonograms; for comprehensive and detailed provisions, refer to the laws of each country. The overview:

    1) details only the criteria applicable to foreign rights holders, without including the broader set of qualification rules for domestic protection that do not concern them,

    2) is limited to performance rights and digital exploitation of recorded music, including works and other protected objects:

    - “Performance rights” include radio and TV broadcasting, public performance, and communication to the public,

    - “Digital exploitation” includes reproduction rights, distribution rights, communication to the public and making available rights.

    The term "based on reciprocity" used in the overview for some countries means that Country A will protect the works of authors or other right holders who are nationals of Country B that is not a member of treaties Country A is a party to, and whose works or other protected objects were first published outside of Country A, only if Country B offer similar copyright protection to Country A’s authors or other rights holders and works and other protected objects respectively first published in Country A.

    The term "treaty" in the overview includes conventions and international agreements.

Music Consumption

Domestic Repertoire Quotas


[+] EXPLANATORY NOTESDomestic Repertoire Quota(s) refers to legislation and/or policies which require broadcasters to dedicate a specific % of music broadcast content to domestic/local/national artists.

No universal domestic repertoire quotas.

However, individual broadcasters may be required to meet specific national production quotas, depending on the conditions set out in their broadcasting license by the regulatory authority, the Haute Autorité de la Communication (HAC), as per Loi No 2012-019 Du 12 Mars 2012 Relative Aux Services Prives de Communication Audiovisuelle.

Digital Streaming Services


GLOBAL STREAMING SERVICES


REGIONAL STREAMING SERVICES


DOMESTIC STREAMING SERVICES

Key Risks and Opportunities

Risks

  • Very low GDP per capita limits the overall market size by reducing the average consumer’s ability to pay for music and streaming subscriptions. Moderate income inequality further concentrates disposable income within a smaller segment of the population, narrowing the viable audience for paid services.

  • Low internet penetration limits the potential audience for digital music consumption and the reach of online music businesses. Moreover, very high mobile data cost is another barrier to regular digital music streaming and downloads for the majority of the population with limited disposable income.

  • Credit card ownership is very low, making traditional online payment models largely unfeasible. This means that reliance on mobile money is critical; however, mobile money usage is only moderate.

  • The absence of a clear and comprehensive national culture or music policy signals a lack of a specific strategic framework for music ecosystem development and might lead to a lack of support and investment.

Opportunities

  • A large and predominantly young population presents a growing potential audience for music and an influx of new talent.

  • A decent GDP growth rate and relatively low inflation indicate a recovering and expanding economy and a relatively stable macroeconomic environment. While starting from a low base, this growth could contribute to increasing disposable income over time.

  • Collective management organization BUMDA commencing neighbouring rights collective management is a positive development. However, infrastructure and enforcement require improvement.