Southern Africa should form a common cannabis market to position itself as a key player on the world stage.

That’s the view of Zimbabwean Hemp Industrial Trust (ZHIT) head Dr Zorodzai Maroveke who says that the region is becoming the most active cannabis and hemp hub in Africa. 

The ZHIT is Zimbabwe’s major lobby and advocacy organisation for the legal inclusion of cannabis in the mainstream economy. Dr Maroveke has been personally instrumental in swinging many political heavyweights into backing the fledgling hemp sector.

Although the Zimbabwean hemp industry is in its infancy, Harare hopes that in time it will generate meaningful export revenue to lessen the country’s economic dependence on tobacco.

'Build a regional cannabis bloc'

In an exclusive interview with Cannabiz Africa’s John Makoni, ‘Dr Zoey’, as Dr Maroveke is affectionately known in the industry, said there was a strong case to be made for a ‘harmonized approach not only for southern Africa but for the continent as a whole”.

A constant fixture on the African cannabis conference circuit, Dr Zoey believes the harmonisation of regulations should form part of measures that can pave the way for a sustainable and economically beneficial hemp industry across the continent.

“The biggest challenge is to overhaul regulations” she said.

“While the African hemp industry shows promising growth and investment potential, it faces hurdles related to regulatory frameworks, public perception, and infrastructural development,” she said this week, speaking from Gaborone, ahead of the Inaugural Hemp Business Summit (IHBS) Conference on 5 April 2025 in the Botswana capital.

Regulations Impede Harmonization

She singles out regulatory inconsistencies and lack of harmonisation as the main culprits in deterring investment and market stability.  The most obvious partnerships are  between Zimbabwe, Malawi, Lesotho and South Africa as they are the most mature markets in a young industry – other than Morocco which is the continent’s leading exporter.

“Africa's industrial hemp industry is projected to possess a market potential of $2.4-billion [R43.6-billion], excluding the cannabidiol (CBD) sector. This projection underscores the continent's favourable climate and vast land, positioning it to become a leading producer and exporter of industrial hemp” said Dr Maroveke.

“Such growth could bring substantial socio-economic benefits and create at least 100 000 jobs in the initial stages of the industry”.

Botswana, a late starter, could potentially take the lead in exporting industrial hemp in the region. Zambia and eSwatini are too beset by internal political squabbles to attract international interest, even though they both have enabling legislation in place. Rwanda and the DRC dominate the central African market with Kenya and Ghana looking hopeful.

Currently there are no formal inter-government communication between African countries and they are all developing their cannabis policies in silos. However, there are cross-border initiatives in non-government organizations, for instance Dr Maroveke's appointment to the Cheeba advisory panel.

The key document for developing a cohesive African cannabis policy lies in the outcomes of the now-dormant Phakisa initiative that emerged from the Presidency’s interaction with non-government stakeholders in June 2023 which formulated a ‘whole plant’ approach.

However, South Africa has not been able to even introduce this ground-breaking document into its own regulatory process, so there is little chance of it being adapted by other African countries in the foreseeable future.

Hemp Policy Alignment is the Obvious Starting Point

Industrial cannabis, or hemp, is the most obvious starting point for cross-border cannabis collaboration, but there is no standard agreement on acceptable THC levels: South Africa is a a 0,02% THC limit, to be lifted to 2% at some point in the future, Zimbabwe is at 1%, while the most environmentally appropriate percentage limit would be 4 – 5%, which would allow almost all landraces to be classified as industrial cannabis or hemp.

As it is, the situation is completely fragmented with all African governments still seemingly stuck in a colonial mindset and reluctant to develop their own domestic medical cannabis markets for fear of allowing ‘recreational’ usage to slip through the back door.

Currently South Africa is the only African country to allow recreational cannabis for private consumption, but its policy is in disarray with a legislative vacuum in this arena and an increasingly chaotic hemp environment with the recent ban on hemp being used as a foodstuff.

Stigmas Still Require Breaking

The negative stigma attached to cannabis is another hindrance to developing the industry in Africa.  Both Dr Makavere and Dr Zoey and Nana Kwaku Agyemang, head of Ghana’s hemp advocacy body, Hempire Association of Ghana (HAG), have singled out stigma as the source of inconsistent regulations.

“Public perception of cannabis in Africa varies, often influenced by historical, social, and legal contexts. The general public often conflates hemp with medicinal cannabis, leading to misconceptions that hinder the industry's development,” says Dr Maroveke.​

The upcoming Botswana hemp conference will be the biggest regional gathering of industrial cannabis stakeholders in recent times. It will afford policy-makers to begin discussing some form of regional co-operation around cannabis that in time may realise Dr Zoey’s vision.