Although Lesotho legalized cannabis exports in 2018, Africa has been a slow starter in joining the ranks of those countries pushing for reform and regulated markets. Although fewer than a quarter of the continent’s countries have partially legalized cannabis, primarily medical cannabis for export and industrial hemp, Africa has the potential to be a future powerhouse on the international cannabis stage. Stay in the loop with all the news, policy, legislative, regulatory and market developments with Cannabiz Africa, your reliable content guide to the African cannabis environment.
ICS 2026 organizer Sean Hocking has expressed his sympathy to two Ghanaian CEO’s who have decided not to attend next week’s conference because of the xenophobic climate in the country. He says the Cape Town conference aims to strengthen pan-African communication channels and no other African delegates have withdrawn.
Medicinal cannabis and industrial hemp production are in the pipeline for Nigeria, with the National Assembly currently drafting legislation to create a legal framework for the cultivation and use of cannabis for medical, scientific and industrial purposes.
The ripples of xenophobia have hit the cannabis sector, with a senior Ghanaian stakeholder pulling out of next week’s ICS 2026 Cape Town conference. Mark Darko cited safety concerns for his withdrawal, which he says is in line with Ghana’s travel warnings to its citizens about staying clear of SA.
International cannabis thought leaders from across the world are to descend on Cape Town at the end of the month for ICS 2026. Organizer Sean Hocking tells Cannabiz Africa that the Back to Basics theme is aimed at breaking North American and European dominance in determining the world’s cannabis regulatory systems.
Zimbabwe and Zambia are best-placed African countries for ramped-up hemp production because they have plenty of available land and water. Zimbabwe has the edge because of it has an international distribution hub. That’s the view of Cobasa founder and chairperson Henri de Villeneuve, speaking at the Cheeba Summit.
The cannabis ‘gold standard’ is EU-GMP certification, an expensive exercise vital to get a foothold into Europe. However, this is beyond reach of most African producers, TUT’s Prof David Katerere told the Cheeba Summit, and proposed an African-GMP certification as a foundation for the continent’s cannabis industry.
Senior Zambian cannabis regulator, Dr Prosper Sievu, says Zambia is to hit the ‘start button’ on developing its own industrial cannabis sector. He said a newly constituted Cannabis Board will start issuing hemp licenses after the August elections and that hemp trials are scheduled to begin in October 2026.
Closing arguments have been heard in the Ganja Users of Namibia (GUN) High Court application challenging the country’s anti-cannabis laws. Judge Claasen will deliver judgement on 6 July 2026 in the long-running case which could fundamentally change Namibia’s cannabis landscape.
Pioneering Malawi cannabis company Invegrow has won the Best SME Exhibitor Award at Malawi’s premier agricultural show currently underway in Blantyre. The award comes through Standard Bank’s involvement in the Malawi International Trade Fair by sponsoring a new ‘business forum’.
Namibian advocacy group GUN is using South Africa’s historic 2018 Concourt cannabis legalization ruling, as a key argument in their application to overturn existing drug laws. The Windhoek High Court considers the matter tomorrow with GUN’s application being opposed by the State.
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