CIC, which is listed on the OTC Market in the US, has signed a comprehensive management contract with CannaBudGrow CBG) that is heavily weighted in its favour. CIC’s operational office is in London, where Doran, a Zimbabwean born cannabis investor, is based.
What is the OTC Market?
An OTC (over-the-counter) market is a decentralized marketplace where financial assets are traded directly between two parties, bypassing a central exchange like the NYSE. Trades occur through a dealer network and are often facilitated by broker-dealers who act as market makers. While offering flexibility and access to a wider range of securities, OTC markets have less transparency and regulatory oversight than formal exchanges, which can increase risks like counterparty default.
CIC describes itself as an organic medicine company, focusing on medicinal cannabis to supply extracts and products including GMP flower and oil to the pharmaceutical industry to meet the increasing global demand. It is most active in the UK market where it owns a dispensary. .
MMJ Daily reported on 21 November 2025 that in terms of the agreement, “Crucial Innovations will provide CBG with comprehensive management, administrative and strategic services, including oversight of operational, logistical, and business development functions.
“In return, Crucial Innovations will receive 95% of CBG’s net revenue, following deductions related to regulated cultivation and compliance activities.”
Cannagrow, which is in Johannesburg, has EU GMP certification and has invested heavily in advanced hydroponic fertigation systems and sustainable LED lighting to produce pharmaceutical-grade cannabis.
Doran was an early investor in Zimbabwean medical cannabis through Eco Equity which was one of the first cannabis licensees. His vision was to mobilize capital to link cultivators from low cast markets to first world distributors. However, he became disillusioned by Zimbabwe’s political landscape and the regulatory obstacles affecting cannabis and Eco Equity disinvested from Zimbabwe in 2021, effectively becoming absorbed into CIC.
Doran is no naïve first world investor lured by the promise of green riches in the African hinterland. His Zimbabwean roots and the high costs of early mover advantage in Zimbabwe have honed his risk-avoidance skills, and his interest in South Africa can be seen as a vote of confidence in the country’s cannabis future by a canny investor. It can also be seen aa an indicator of the vulnerability of the medical cannabis sector where many operators are struggling with overcapitalization and long-term sustainability.
“Partnering with Cannabudgrow represents a significant step forward in strengthening our operational footprint and supply chain within one of the world’s most promising emerging medical cannabis markets,” Doran told MMJ. “CBG’s state-of-the-art indoor cultivation capabilities, combined with Crucial Innovations’ global expertise in compliance, distribution and product development, position us to deliver safe, consistent and high-quality cannabis-based medicines to patients worldwide.”
Although CIC is not making any capital investment in South Africa, it is leveraging the experience it has built up in the UK market where it launched its 4TP brand linking medical cannabis patients with quality suppliers.
Doron says “We draw from a global network of expert cultivators to offer pharmacies and patients a terpene-rich selection of cannabis strains, across multiple formats, methods, and price points, whether it’s indoor-only, irradiated, non-irradiated, or organically grown flower.”
MMJ reports that Cannabudgrow is fully accredited by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) and operates a GACP- and GMP-certified indoor cultivation facility.
CannaBudGrow in its own words: https://cannabudgrow.com/
CannaBudGrow is a state-of-the-art fully indoor medical cannabis cultivation organization in Johannesburg, South Africa. CannaBudGrow is accredited by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority with a GACP and Good Manufacturing Practice certification.
Our medicinal cannabis is grown under scientifically optimised controlled indoor conditions to produce high quality results. With state of the art hydroponic fertigation and environmentally friendly LED lighting fixtures, we can produce world class medicinal cannabis that meets international standards.
We aim to consistently provide patients globally with proudly South African high quality medical cannabis.
