Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has publicly encouraged Ghanaians to venture into cannabis cultivation, describing the regulated trade as a “Christian endeavour” due to its medicinal applications.
Speaking to the press, the Minister urged citizens to seize emerging business opportunities while contributing to national healthcare. “Dealing in cannabis is Christian, because this one is going to be used for the manufacture of medicine. We all want healing, and so I encourage people to enter into this business and make all their money, even as we heal people,” she said.
Legal and Regulatory Framework
Her remarks come on the heels of Ghana’s official launch of the Cannabis Regulatory Programme, which establishes a controlled framework for cultivating and managing low-THC cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes. The programme is anchored in the Narcotics Control Commission (Amendment) Act, 2023 (Act 1100) and the Narcotics Control Commission (Cultivation and Management of Cannabis) Regulations, 2023 (L.I. 2475).
Under the regulations, cultivation is restricted exclusively to cannabis varieties containing no more than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on a dry-weight basis. Cannabis exceeding this threshold remains a prohibited narcotic.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, who launched the programme in February 2026, stressed that recreational use remains illegal under Section 45 of the Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020. “Ghana is not legalising weed,” he clarified.
The regulatory framework introduces 11 licence categories covering cultivation, processing, breeding, research, laboratory testing, storage, transportation, import, export, sales, distribution, and advertising. Applicants must be Ghanaian citizens or permanent residents, with corporate entities required to have at least 50% Ghanaian ownership and a majority of Ghanaian directors.
Additionally, the government has introduced a strict “off-taker” requirement—investors must secure confirmed buyers before obtaining licences. “We won’t give you the licence if you don’t show us who you are going to sell it to,” Minister Mohammed-Mubarak stated.
Economic Potential
Industry advocates project that Ghana could generate between $1 billion and $15.5 billion annually from the cannabis sector. President John Dramani Mahama has affirmed that Ghana is ready to begin issuing licences for cultivation, processing, and export under strict oversight.
As the regulatory framework takes shape, Minister Ofosu-Adjare’s call signals strong governmental backing for citizen participation—within the boundaries of the law.
