• Ghana launched a regulated framework for low-THC cannabis cultivation limited to medical and industrial purposes.
• Authorities based the program on the 2023 amendments to the Narcotics Control Commission Act and related regulations.
• The government restricted licenses to Ghanaian citizens or permanent residents and imposed majority local ownership for companies.

Ghana has formally launched a cannabis regulation program that establishes a strict framework for the cultivation and management of low-THC varieties reserved exclusively for medical and industrial uses. Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak announced the initiative in Accra.

Authorities implemented the program following adoption of the Narcotics Control Commission (Amendment) Act, 2023 and the Narcotics Control Commission (Cultivation and Management of Cannabis) Regulations, 2023, which form the legal basis of the framework.

The government has sought to structure the cannabis sector while safeguarding public health and security and unlocking its economic potential. Officials have aimed to attract investment, create jobs, particularly in rural areas, and increase public revenues. Authorities have cited Canada as a reference case, where the legal cannabis industry generated nearly 895 million Canadian dollars ($655 million) in 2022–2023.

The framework has strictly regulated license allocation. Authorities have limited eligibility to Ghanaian citizens or permanent residents aged at least 18. Regulators have required applicant companies to maintain at least 50% Ghanaian ownership and a majority of Ghanaian board members.

Cannabis regulation has varied across Africa. Most countries have maintained strict prohibition; however, several governments have authorized medical or industrial uses, often to target export markets in Europe and North America. South Africa has represented the most advanced case, as authorities have legalized private consumption and cultivation while maintaining tight controls on sales. Lesotho, Zimbabwe and Morocco have also legalized production for medical or industrial purposes without authorizing recreational use.

Charlène N’dimon