Ghana Issues Its First Legal Cannabis Licences: Who Got Them

Ghana’s regulated cannabis industry has moved from paper to practice. The Narcotics Control Commission (NACOC) has issued the country’s first cannabis cultivation licences, with Graphic Online and Adomonline both reporting the news on 31 July 2026.

Who received Ghana’s first cannabis licences

Two companies were named: MJ Adom Limited and Juliopta Limited (some outlets spell the first name “MG Adom”). According to Graphic Online, the licences run for three years, subject to compliance and renewal by NACOC. They cover only cannabis with a THC content of 0.3% or less, grown for medicinal and industrial use.

Juliopta’s founder, Juliana Addo-Yobo, said her company plans to begin with cultivation and then expand into seed imports and exports. She described the licensing process as demanding and expensive, but said the company met every requirement.

How applicants were vetted

NACOC Director-General Major General Maxwell Obuba Mantey said the process was deliberately rigorous. Applicants went through technical assessments and field inspections, followed by a review by a multi-agency committee, before recommendations reached the Minister for the Interior for final approval. Lawyard reports that applications were made online and that inspectors checked regulatory, operational and security compliance.

The rules licence holders must follow

  • THC cap: only cannabis at or below 0.3% THC on a dry-weight basis is permitted under Ghana’s LI 2475 regulations.
  • Spot checks: NACOC says officers can inspect with or without notice.
  • Over-limit crops: if plants exceed the THC threshold, the licence holder must notify the commission so the crop can be disposed of.
  • Revocable licences: the licences remain the property of the commission and can be withdrawn for non-compliance.
  • No recreational market: Mantey stressed that recreational cannabis is still illegal and unlicensed growers face prosecution.

How Ghana got here

The groundwork took several years. The Narcotics Control Commission Act, 2020 (Act 1019) allowed licensed cannabis activity for industrial and medicinal purposes. After legal challenges on procedural grounds, Parliament passed Act 1100 in 2023, followed by the LI 2475 regulations in November 2023, according to the Ghana News Agency. The Interior Minister formally launched the licensing programme on 26 February 2026.

The system has 11 licence categories, including cultivation, processing, research, storage, import, export and sales. Individual applicants must be at least 18 and have documented access to land, while companies need at least 50% Ghanaian shareholding or a majority-Ghanaian board, according to NACOC officials quoted by Graphic Online and GNA.

What this means for you

  • Entrepreneurs and investors: the route is now open but demanding. NACOC has cautioned applicants against using middlemen.
  • Consumers: there is no recreational market. Officials describe the regime as limited to low-THC, CBD-dominant varieties for medicinal and industrial use.
  • Farmers: unlicensed growing is still illegal, and NACOC says it will step up operations against illegal cannabis farms.

What to watch next

Two licences make this a pilot stage. Watch for further approvals, and for the first licences in downstream categories such as processing, testing and export, which will decide whether Ghana can build a full supply chain rather than just farms.

Information current as of 28 September 2026. This article is for information only and is not legal or medical advice. Confirm details with NACOC before making business decisions.

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