The programme follows the passage of the NACOC (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 1100) and the NACOC (Cultivation and Management of Cannabis) Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2475), which together establishes a clear legal framework for the controlled cultivation and management of cannabis for industrial and medicinal purposes. 

Speaking at a press conference on the cannabis licensing in Ghana, Mr. Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, Minister for the Interior, warned that recreational cannabis remained illegal under Section 45 of the NACOC, 2020.  

He stressed that the sale, purchase, possession or use of cannabis without lawful authority continued to constitute a criminal offence. 

“What we have done is to create a tightly controlled, transparent and Ghanaian-owned framework for the cultivation and utilisation of cannabis with negligible psychoactive effect,” he added. 

Under the new regulations, only cannabis with not more than 0.3 per cent THC content on a dry weight basis must be cultivated, and strictly for industrial fibre, seed, or medicinal purposes.  

The Minister cited Canada’s legal cannabis market, which generated 894.6 million Canadian dollars in the 2022–2023 financial year, as an example of the sector’s economic potential, stressing that Ghana’s approach would remain firmly anchored in strict public health and security measures. 

L.I. 2475 provides for 11 categories of licences: cultivation, processing, breeding, research and development, laboratory testing, storage, transportation, import, export, sales and distribution, as well as advertising and promotion. 

To qualify, an applicant must be a Ghanaian citizen or permanent resident aged 18 and above, corporate entities with at least 50 per cent Ghanaian ownership, with most directors being Ghanaian.  

The Minister described this requirement as “non-negotiable,” insisting that Ghana’s resources must primarily benefit its citizens. 

He said only the Interior Minister, acting on the recommendation of NACOC had the authority to grant, suspend, modify or cancel licences, and that licences would be valid for three years, renewable, site-specific and non-transferable without the express approval of the Interior Minister. 

Mr. Mubarak said an online application portal had been established to process and track all licence applications, to enhance transparency and eliminate human interference. 

Outlining safeguard measures, the Minister said, “no cultivation site or facility should be located within 100 metres of a school or residential area. Cannabis exceeding 0.3 per cent THC remains strictly prohibited.”  

“Licensed premises will be subject to unannounced inspections by NACOC officers, who are empowered to search, seize and prosecute under relevant provisions of Act 1019. Licensees are also required to submit quarterly returns, with stiff penalties for non-compliance,” he added. 

He projected increased local and foreign investment, job creation, particularly for rural youth, and enhanced state revenue through licensing fees and exports. 

Mr. Mubarak called on the media to support public education efforts and emphasised that Ghana was not legalising “wee.” 

The Minister noted that fees associated with the licensing programme were provided under the Fees and Charges (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Regulations, 2025, as approved by Parliament. 

He encouraged Ghanaian entrepreneurs and investors to take advantage of the opportunity by submitting applications through the designated portal, assuring that NACOC under the supervision of the Ministry, had put in place the necessary protocols for full implementation of the programme.