Ghana Opens Cannabis Licenses to Citizens Abroad as Hemp Industry Begins Accepting Applications
- Ghana has launched its medicinal and industrial hemp licensing program, restricting licenses to citizens and permanent residents, including those in the diaspora.
- The program, overseen by the Narcotics Control Commission, permits cultivation and commercial activities for low-THC (max 0.3%) cannabis, focusing solely on hemp-derived products while keeping recreational marijuana illegal.
- Ghana Investment Promotion Centre encourages Ghanaians abroad to invest and participate across the entire cannabis supply chain, including cultivation, processing, marketing, and regulation.
- The government aims to leverage diaspora investment to grow the cannabis market, which spans pharmaceuticals, wellness products, textiles, cosmetics, and industrial uses, aligning with the significant economic role of remittances.
Ghana has officially opened applications for its new cannabis licensing system, and officials are making it clear they want citizens living abroad to take part.
The country’s medicinal and industrial hemp program is now active, with regulators now officially accepting applications. Unlike many emerging markets, Ghana’s framework restricts licenses to citizens and permanent residents, giving Ghanaians in the diaspora a built-in advantage over outside investors.
At an investment roundtable in Virginia on April 19, Ghana Investment Promotion Centre CEO Simon Madjie urged those living abroad to get involved across the entire industry.
“Now, we have legalized the cultivation of industrial and medicinal Indian Hemp. You can go into the cultivation, the processing, the marketing, and the regulation,” Madjie said.
The program was formally launched in February in Accra by Interior Minister Mubarak Mohammed-Muntaka, activating a regulated system overseen by the Narcotics Control Commission. The framework stems from laws approved in 2023, which laid the groundwork for legal cultivation and commercial activity tied to low-THC cannabis.
Only cannabis with no more than 0.3% THC is allowed, keeping the focus on hemp-derived products. Recreational marijuana remains illegal under Ghanaian law.
The market covers the full supply chain, including cultivation, processing, distribution, and export. Officials say the range of potential products includes pharmaceuticals, wellness oils, textiles, cosmetics, and other industrial uses.
The push toward diaspora investment comes as remittances continue to play a major role in Ghana’s economy. Central bank officials say Ghanaians abroad sent about $7.8 billion home in 2025, a figure that exceeded foreign direct investment. By limiting licenses to citizens and permanent residents, the government is directing that capital toward building out its cannabis industry from within.