The theme for this year’s Cheeba Cannabis and Hemp Summit 2026, to be held on 29 May 2026 and presented in partnership with the Global Cannabis Network Collective (GNCU), is Africa’s Gateway to the Global Cannabis Economy.
Delegates from Africa, Europe and the United States are expected to attend the event that has become one of the continent’s most influential gathering of cultivators, investors, processors, regulators, brands and supply-chain leaders.
Summit organizer Linda Sibota says the summit serves as a bridge between African opportunity and global capital. “This is where policy meets capital, cultivation meets commerce and Africa meets the world” he says.
Cheeba Media Release 14 May 2026.
Africa’s Gateway to the Global Cannabis Economy
Under the theme “Africa’s Gateway to the Global Cannabis Economy, the 2026 Summit will deliver one full day of high-level content featuring over 30 African and international speakers.
Held alongside The Cannabis Expo, which attracts over 25,000 attendees across three days, Summit delegates gain access to one of the largest Cannabis consumer and trade exhibitions in the region, amplifying exposure and commercial reach.Strategic International Partnerships.
The Summit’s international positioning is reinforced through formal alliances with leading global platforms, including:
– Global Cannabis Network Collective (Colorado – USA) — connecting African projects with international investors, operators and expertise.
– Industrial Hemp International (Colorado – USA) — a leading trade show for the global hemp sector across fibre, grain and floral markets.
– CannaTrade (Switzerland) — one of Europe’s most established Cannabis trade events, strengthening the Summit’s European footprint.
These partnerships ensure genuine international participation, cross-border deal flow and expanded market access for African operators.
Why Now: Africa at a Tipping Point
Africa’s Cannabis and Hemp sectors are entering a decisive growth phase. Countries across the continent are progressing regulated frameworks for medical Cannabis, industrial Hemp, export
markets and value-added manufacturing. Capital flows, regulatory reform and international demand are converging, creating a rare inflection point for early movers.
The CHEEBA Cannabis & Hemp Summit provides the structured environment where stakeholders can translate this momentum into commercially viable, compliant and scalable operations.
Credible, Accredited Industry Leadership
As Africa’s leading Cannabis and Hemp education institution and the only Higher Education accredited provider dedicated exclusively to the sector, Cheeba Cannabis & Hemp Academy brings academic rigour and practical expertise to the Summit’s programme curation. With experience training licensed cultivators, advising projects across multiple African countries, and supporting compliant supply chains, the Academy ensures that Summit content moves beyond theory, focusing instead on operational execution, regulatory navigation and sustainable business growth.
Programme Highlights
The 2026 programme will include:
– A full day of dynamic talks and panels featuring leading voices from across the African and global Cannabis and Hemp ecosystem.
– Access for all Summit attendees to The Cannabis Expo.
– Option to attend a 3-day Commercial Cannabis Cultivation course before the event.
– Option to attend an immersion day visiting 2 SAHPRA medical licensed farms and a cannabis club, specifically designed for foreign guests who want exposure to the industry.
– The Cheeba Delicious After-Party for speakers, sponsors and industry leaders.
– Official hotel partnership with Sandton Hotel.
Star-Studded Speaker Line-Up
The Summit will feature a powerful line-up of keynote and featured speakers, including:
Elder Ras Gareth Prince (Ras Prince), veteran Rastafarian lawyer, long-time Cannabis activist and Chairperson of the Cannabis Development Council of South Africa (CDCSA), will deliver a keynote address. On the back of his pending High Court hearing scheduled for 8 June 2026 at 9am at the Western Cape High Court, Ras Prince will share powerful insights drawn from over 22 years of legal and activist leadership.
He is the driving force behind landmark constitutional challenges, including the historic 2018 ruling that decriminalised private Cannabis use and cultivation. His current urgent application seeks an immediate halt to ongoing arrests, the destruction of Cannabis plants, and the exclusion of traditional and Rastafarian growers from the legal economy.
The public is encouraged to stand with Elder Ras Prince and the Cannabis Community in solidarity for Cannabis freedom, justice, economic equality, and an end to plant destruction (as highlighted in the official campaign flyer and BackaBuddy fundraiser for litigation support).
Gregg Steinberg, CEO of Belushi’s Farm (USA), brings high-profile international expertise to the Summit. As the seasoned C-Suite leader of the celebrated Cannabis operation founded by actor and comedian Jim Belushi (star of The Blues Brothers and subject of the Discovery Channel series Growing Belushi), Steinberg has built a pioneering cultivation and brand business focused on quality, innovation, and healing through Cannabis. This appearance represents a major win for African operators seeking proven models from one of the most recognisable celebrity-backed ventures in the U.S. Cannabis space.
Beau Whitney, founder and Chief Economist at Whitney Economics (USA), a global leader in Cannabis and hemp data, research, and economic modelling. Whitney is renowned for delivering robust, data-driven market forecasts, operator sentiment surveys, and in-depth analysis of U.S. Cannabis metrics, regulatory impacts (including 280E tax burdens), and growth projections — essential intelligence for investors and policymakers.
John Jeffery, Government lead and Project Manager for South Africa’s Hemp and Cannabis Master Plan (DTIC), will provide insights into the national regulatory roadmap, commercialisation policy, and government efforts to resolve the current legal grey zone and accelerate inclusive industry growth.
Dr Siabula Sievu (Zambia), medical doctor and key figure in Zambia’s medicinal Cannabis framework, will speak on regional developments, including the establishment of a Cannabis hospital and the integration of medicinal Cannabis into Zambia’s public health system. As a contributor to Zambia’s enabling Cannabis legislation and a PhD researcher in medicinal Cannabis, Dr Sievu brings critical perspectives on medical and therapeutic applications across the continent.
These speakers, alongside more than 30 others, will deliver actionable content that bridges policy, capital, cultivation and commerce.
To book tickets and to find out more: CLICK HERE
Media & Industry Contact
For sponsorship, partnership or media enquiries:
Linda Siboto
Email: linda@cheebaafrica.com
Tel: +27 73 196 6793
Magan Govender
Email: mags@cheebaafrica.com
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