Ghana has formally launched its medicinal cannabis licensing programme at a moment when new scientific research is expanding the therapeutic case for cannabinoids, adding economic urgency to a regulatory process that took years to reach implementation.
Researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem recently published findings showing that two non-psychoactive cannabis compounds, Cannabidiol (CBD) and Cannabigerol (CBG), may help treat Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), commonly known as fatty liver disease, which affects roughly one in three adults worldwide. The study, published in the British Journal of Pharmacology, found the compounds may improve liver function by altering how the organ processes energy and clears harmful fats. The findings add to a growing body of evidence that cannabinoids could play a significant role in treating metabolic disorders.
That research is arriving as Ghana enters what officials describe as a historic phase in the country’s relationship with cannabis. Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak formally launched Ghana’s Medicinal Cannabis Regulatory Programme on February 27, establishing a controlled framework for the cultivation and management of low-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) cannabis under the Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) Act, 2020 and its 2023 amendments.
The programme permits only cannabis with THC content not exceeding 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis, strictly for industrial, fibre, seed, or medicinal purposes. Recreational cannabis remains a criminal offence under Section 45 of the Act.
The framework covers 11 licence categories spanning cultivation, processing, breeding, laboratory testing, transport, import, export, and advertising. A mandatory off-taker requirement means prospective cultivators must demonstrate a confirmed buyer before a licence will be issued, with enforcement relying on GPS tracking, drone monitoring, and unannounced inspections.
The economic ambitions attached to the programme are significant. Industry projections from the Chamber of Cannabis Industry Ghana estimate the sector could generate at least one billion dollars annually once fully operational, with the global medicinal cannabis market projected to reach nearly 149 billion dollars by 2031.
Yet the licensing framework faces scrutiny. Industry advocates have raised concerns that fee structures could exclude smallholder farmers, a point that reached the Supreme Court of Ghana in February when a farmer filed a constitutional challenge arguing that dollar-denominated fees create barriers for small producers. The Minister responded by proposing the formation of farmer cooperatives to enable smallholder farmers to transition from illegal cultivation to regulated production, acknowledging inclusion as a core policy objective.
Countries that have moved early in the medicinal cannabis space, including Israel, Canada, and Lesotho, have built supply chains, research partnerships, and export infrastructure that later entrants have found difficult to replicate. As the science of cannabinoids continues to expand into liver disease, neurological disorders, and chronic pain treatment, Ghana’s ability to participate meaningfully in the industry will depend on whether the licensing framework it has now activated proves workable for the full breadth of its agricultural economy.
The window is open. Whether local producers can walk through it remains the critical test.
