MG Health was one of the first cannabis companies to be licensed in Lesotho. Founded by Andre Bothma in 2017, the company has quietly and consistently kept Lesotho in the international cannabis market despite the recent political and regulatory upheavals that rocked the Mountain Kingdom.
“This is a significant milestone for us in our nine year journey” Bothma tells Cannabiz Africa. “EU certification confirms our ability to produce pharmaceutical-grade products that meet the expectations of international regulators and patients alike. MG Health is now positioned to supply directly into European markets, strengthening its existing export footprint and opening new opportunities for international partnerships”.
Although MG Health was awarded EU GMP status as a third-party manufacturer for cannabis API in 2022, and a TGA certification in 2024, the new round of certification now includes cannabis flower as Finished Product, along with manufacturing of full spectrum THC and CBD products.
EU GMP is the holy grail for cannabis exporters around the world and one of the most stringent regulatory standards in the world . Although it has been criticized for being exclusionary for developing countries and open to manipulation by multinationals, at the end of the day it is the only game in town for aspirational cannabis exporters.
Only a handful of Southern African cannabis producers have so far achieved EU GMP certification, most of them in neighbouring South Africa. All have found that compliance is an expensive process with a checklist that goes beyond ticking a lot of technical boxes.
“What Europe wants is medical grade cannabis of a consistent standard produced according to the highest quality requirements” says Bothma.
“A big part of the process is stability testing” says Bothma. “This is essentially proving that your product remains stable throughout a determined shelf life. This involves evaluating the chemical and microbiological properties of the products”
He says the launch of LuCan Labs in Maseru in 2018, was a major step in building an export relationship between Southern Africa and Europe. LuCan, which was also awarded EU GMP certification last year, provides critical analytical and microbiological analysis for companies requiring high-quality, compliant testing aligned with European regulatory requirements. LuCan does not only bear EU GMP certification, but is also ISO/IEC 17025 accredited by SADCAS for the chemical and microbial testing of cannabis. For enquiries, info@lucanlabs.com / +266 5928 3345 can be used.
The EU GMP inspections on both facilities were carried out in July 2025 by Poland’s Chief Pharmaceutical Inspector. The benefits of such recognition goes beyond positively impacting the immediate stakeholders of the two companies, having a progressive knock-on effect on surrounding communities.
This milestone not only proves MG Health and LuCan’s dedication, scientific precision, and commitment to sustainable growth, but also places Lesotho in the spotlight for its pristine environment, which supports production of world class quality products.
MG Health has been active on the export front, producing three tons of cannabis last year that was sent to buyers in Germany, Australia, Czech Republic and the UK.
Bothma says the company has plans to ramp up production with the new certification, with Poland now being added to the list. In addition, LuCan is extending its testing services to other Southern African medicinal cannabis producers and has become an important training ground for medical authorities in other SADAC countries such as Zimbabwe and Botswana.
