Regulating Cannabis for Medicinal & Industrial  Use in Ghana

Ghana operates a controlled and transparent cannabis regulatory framework strictly for medical and industrial purposes.

The program permits the cultivation, processing, distribution, and trade of low-THC cannabis (≤ 0.3% THC) under a robust licensing and monitoring system.

This initiative promotes public health, investor confidence and compliance with national laws while preventing misuse and illegal activities.

Key Highlights

Recreational cannabis remains illegal
Strict THC limit of 0.3% or less
All activities require official licensing
Comprehensive oversight across the value chain

About the Program.

The Cannabis Regulation Program was established by the Government of Ghana to create a safe, regulated environment for cannabis-related activities that serve medical treatment, research and industrial applications.

The framework ensures accountability, traceability, and strict compliance at every stage of the cannabis value chain.

Legal Framework.

Cannabis activities in Ghana are governed by the Narcotics Control Commission (Amendment) Act, 2023 (ACT 1100), Narcotics Control Commission (Cultivation and Management of Cannabis) Regulation, 2023 (L.I 2475) and supervised by the NACOC that:

  • Prohibit recreational use

  • Criminalize unlicensed possession or cultivation

  • Restrict cannabis to low THC varieties only (0.3 %)

  • Require regulatory approval for every licensed activity

Licence Categories.

Licences may be issued for the following activities:

  • 1

    Cultivation

  • 2

    Breeding

  • 3

    Processing

  • 4

    Import

  • 5
    Export
  • 6
    Laboratory
  • 7
    Storage
  • 8
    Transport
  • 9
    Distribution & Sale
  • 10
    Research & Development
  • 11
    Advertisement & Promotion

Each licence type has specific operational and compliance requirements.

Eligibility.

To qualify for a cannabis licence in Ghana, applicants must:

  • Be 18 years or older
  • Be a Ghanaian citizen or permanent resident

  • Ensure corporate entities have at least 50% Ghanaian ownership

  • Have a majority Ghanaian board of directors

General Application Requirements.

All applicants must submit:

  • Property documentation (lease or title deed)
  • National identification (Ghana Card or passport)
  • Financial Information Form
  • List of persons with financial interest
  • Police Clearance Certificate
  • Business formation documents
  • Security plan
  • Tax Clearance Certificate (GRA)
  • SSNIT registration
  • Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
  • Personnel certification
  • Recordkeeping documentation

Licence-Specific Requirements.

  • Off-taker agreements (if the organization will not process its own Cannabis)
  • Approved cultivar information
  • Environmental permit
  • Pest management plan
  • Premises diagram/floor plan
  • Site master file
  • Sanitation master plan
  • Destruction plan

 

CULTIVATION LICENCE

Category 1:

Less than five hectares

Tier 1 – 1 acre (0.4 Hectare) of land.

Tier 2 - Cultivate 1 to 3 acres (1.2 Hectares) of land

Tier 3- Cultivate of more than 3 acres (1.2 Hectares) to 5 acres (2 Hectares)

Tier 4- Cultivate more than 5 acres (2 Hectares) to less than 5 Hectares

Category 2:

Five hectares to twenty hectares

Category 3:

 Twenty hectares to one hundred hectares

Category 4:

One hundred hectares to six hundred hectares

Category 5:

Six hundred hectares to one thousand five hundred hectares

Category 6:

 One thousand five hundred hectares to five thousand hectares

Category 7:

 Five thousand hectares to fifteen thousand hectares

Category 8:

More than fifteen thousand hectares

  • Environmental permit
  • Equipment certification
  • Pest management plan
  • Testing plan (laboratories)
  • ISO accreditation (laboratories)
  • Site master file
  • Sanitation master plan
  • Destruction plan

  • Environmental permit (storage)
  • Site or transport plan
  • Equipment certification
  • Sanitation master plan
  • Destruction plan

  • Research protocol
  • Project proposal
  • Premises diagram / floor plan
  • Destruction plan

  • Approved destruction plan

Important Notice.

  • No individual or company is authorized to issue or facilitate cannabis licences
  • Recreational cannabis remains illegal in Ghana
  • THC threshold is strictly limited to 0.3% or less

  • Always verify information directly with the regulator

Contact Us.

For official guidance and clarification:

Telephone: +233292605251

Toll-Free: 0800 307 307

Email: crd@ncc.gov.gh

Ready to apply?

You can click on the button below to begin the application process.