Botswana has formally joined the global cannabis economy, following the publication of the Cannabis Regulations in the Government Gazette Extraordinary on 12 January 2026.
The promulgation of the regulations of the Cannabis Act of 2025 (which was gazetted on 14 August 2025), sets out conditions of legality and compliance pertaining to the growing, manufacturing, processing, transportation, import and export of cannabis and related aspects.
It is clear that cannabis will be grown, processed and traded under a more tightly-regulatoed system than what many people had anticipated.
One local commentator described them as “the most detailed cannabis control regimes on the continent”. As expected, the regulations exclude recreational use, personal possession and open sale.
However, most Batswana seem to have been caught unawares by what appears an over-emphasis on the economic and scientific focus over the promised social upliftment dividend.
They sideline ordinary Batswana who were hoping to participate in the value chain as small-scale farmers. They stipulate that cultivation is restricted to licensed entities operating under clearly defined categories: commercial cultivation, nurseries and seed production.
Pro-cannabis and hemp activists in Botswana have among others been campaigning for the traditional co-option of cannabis. They want it to be certified for cultural and spiritual domains uses and also highlight hemp’s nutritional value and its potential to alleviate hunger and malnutrition. It is noteworthy opposition politicians opposed the passage of the first Cannabis Bill drafts for being elitist and exclusionary of ordinary rural farmers and stakeholders. As it happens, the catchwords are ‘compliance, capital and institutional capacity’.
Applicants are required to submit site maps with GPS coordinates, police security clearance, crop management plans, THC testing protocols, environmental and social impact assessments and proof of financial capacity. Licences are valid for three years but operations are subject to routine inspection.
Of significance is that the regulations set out the various cannabis activities and industries and the protocols that govern each one of them under the control of the National Cannabis Control Authority (NCCA). Each activity and/or industry is governed by its own applicable licence, conditions, renewal periods and penalties for non-compliance.
A few takeaways:
● Hemp has not been clearly separated from THC cannabis. Botswana has opted for the term ‘industrial cannabis’ and not the all too common ‘industrial hemp’
● THC is capped at 0.7% (South Africa’s is 2%);
● Any crop found exceeding this limit is deemed non-compliant and liable for destruction;
● Manufacturing and processing operate under separate licences. These cover industrial processing and medicinal processing, including oil extraction, cannabinoid profiling, fibre production and pharmaceutical preparation.
Summary of the regulations:
Cultivation
Licences issued for commercial cultivation, nurseries and seed production. Licences run for three years subject to operational compliance as per regular inspection.
Manufacturing
Facilities must adhere to strict standards for security, staffing, financial capacity and quality control. Licences valid for 5 years subject to suspension or revocation if conditions are violated.
Transportation
This is treated as a high-risk activity. Vehicles must have enclosed, locked compartments, electronic security systems and documented chain-of-custody records. Routes, drivers, quantities and destinations must be pre-approved. Inspections can take place at any time and transport licences are valid for one year. Cannabis cannot be transported with non-cannabis goods.
Research
This is designated a priority activity. Separate licences issued for industrial and medicinal cannabis research, covering breeding trials, agronomic studies, cannabinoid extraction, toxicology and product development. Independent laboratories have to meet international accreditation standards and remain structurally separate from licensed producers. Every batch of cannabis must be traceable, tested and certified.
Import and Export
Permitted under strict controls and international compliance requirements. Each shipment requires specific approval, detailed documentation, and authorised routes. Law opens the door to export markets but does not guarantee them as that will depend on competitiveness, compliance and the demand abroad.
Many Batswana are questioning whether these stringent regulations will contribute to job creation and the adequate diversification of a diamond-dependent mono economy – with some expressing disquiet on social media.
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