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.
Dr Siabula ‘Prosper’ Sievu is one of the main policy architects behind Zambia’s shift to embrace medical cannabis for the good of its people. In this exclusive Q&A with Africa Editor John Makoni, Dr Sievu, outlines Zambia’s new medical cannabis direction, how the Zambian army fits in and the cost of new licenses.
Zambia’s Treasury has called for urgent action to stop the country’s finances spiralling as a result of the financial fall-out from hostilities in the Middle East. Green Party leader Peter Sinkamba (pictured here) says one of the remedial measures should be the rapid enablement of existing cannabis legislation to open up the economy.
Africa has been largely left behind by the international cannabis boom and that’s the fault of the continent’s policy-makers. Africa Editor John Makoni writes that there will be no change as long as government’s persevere with hodgepodge regulations that exclude local citizens from participating in a domestic cannabis economies.
Lesotho has completely revamped its cannabis oversight structures in the past year and is soon to publish new licensing and inspection guidelines. A new regulatory body, Lesotho Medicines Regulatory Authority (LeMeRA), is now in charge of the sector along with the newly formed Lesotho Narcotics Bureau (LNB).
Zambia is to introduce cannabis into its medical system for the benefit of the local population. This is a radical departure from its ‘export only’ licensing regime and has profound implications for public health and insurance. A new National Cannabis Co-ordinating Committee has been set up to establish new cannabis protocols.
Morocco’s legal cannabis industry recorded its strongest production figures yet in 2025 and pushed into new export markets, according to the national regulator, as the sector continues to take shape three years after the kingdom legalised cultivation for medical and industrial purposes.
In a major policy conceptual shift, the Indian Ocean island has taken the first tentative steps towards legalizing cannabis. The National Agency for Drug Control (NADC) has established a technical committee to look at various options regarding cannabis reform and will launch an online portal to gauge public opinion.
The Namibian government appears to be playing for time ahead of a High Court hearing next week challenging cannabis prohibition. State lawyers are arguing that cannabis policy is not a matter for the courts to decide and that the legislature is in the process of reviewing cannabis laws anyway.
A mindshift has occurred in Zimbabwe where hemp is no longer seen as a controversial crop, but a strategic one. Mainstream agriculture has committed itself to building structured markets for hemp farmers who are expected to more than double their production this year from 40 ha to 100 ha.
Ghana is looking to leverage the investment power of its citizens living abroad to boost its fledgling cannabis industry. To this end Accra is hosting the 6th Annual HempTech Conference on June 19th – 20th, 2026 to bring together international investors, policymakers, innovators, and diaspora leaders.
The latest news from the rapidly evolving African cannabis and hemp sector in your in-box every Thursday, fresh and free. Don’t miss out on what’s happening on market and regulatory developments across the continent, subscribe now for exclusive coverage, breaking news and opinions that will help you make informed decisions.
"*" indicates required fields
32,400+ subscribers · Unsubscribe anytime · No spam, ever.
Start typing below to search Cannabiz Africa.
