Ghana’s cannabis industry could generate at least $1 billion annually in tax revenue if regulatory conditions evolve to reflect global medical and research standards, according to Dr. Mark Darko, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Cannabis Industry Ghana.
Dr. Darko said Ghana’s cannabis law, passed by parliament in 2023, was deliberately cautious, limiting THC (Tetrahydrocannabinol) levels to 0.3% and restricting production to industrial and medical use only. Recreational cannabis remains prohibited.
“The law has been done very carefully,” he said. “The cannabis coming from Ghana will only exclusively be industrial hemp and medical cannabis.”
He acknowledged, however, that the low THC cap is already constraining investor interest, particularly in medical research and pharmaceutical applications, where higher THC levels are often required. Dr. Darko said the chamber is advocating for future amendments that would allow higher THC content strictly for medical and research purposes, without opening the door to recreational use.
“We are not advocating for recreational use,” he said. “What we are saying is that there has to be special consideration for medicine and research.” He cited South Africa’s decision to raise its THC threshold from 0.2% to 2% after reassessing international trends, suggesting Ghana could eventually adopt a similar approach.
Dr. Darko linked global momentum behind cannabis reform to recent developments in the United States, where President Donald Trump issued an executive order reclassifying cannabis from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3.“Cannabis has been wrongly classified along with hard drugs like cocaine,” he said, adding that reclassification improves access for medical use and research. “Over 50,000 derivative uses of this plant” exist, he said.
Despite lingering stigma, Dr. Darko argued that cannabis is less harmful than widely accepted substances such as alcohol and tobacco, and that misinformation has slowed policy acceptance.
On the commercial side, he said uncertainty around licensing costs remains a key barrier to entry. Ghana’s law provides for 11 different licences across the value chain, from cultivation to export, but fees and charges have yet to be published.
He said the chamber expects the fee structure to be released by the first quarter of next year, after which investors will be better positioned to assess capital requirements, land costs, and labour needs. Dr. Darko said Ghana’s climate, agricultural heritage, and first-mover advantage in West Africa could attract significant foreign investment once the framework is fully operational.
“At least we have the law,” he said. “We are the first in West Africa to start this. We are hoping for a good year, 2026. And hopefully this industry will take off.”
