Ghana's Independent Hemp & Cannabis News Authority — Est. 2026
ACCRA, GHANA · EST. 2026
VERIFIED & SOURCED
UPDATED MARCH 2026
VERIFIED & SOURCED
UPDATED MARCH 2026
Everything you need to know about applying for a cannabis licence under L.I. 2475 (2023). All information sourced directly from NACOC at ncc.gov.gh.
No individual or company is authorised to issue or facilitate cannabis licences on your behalf. Contact NACOC's Cannabis Regulations Department directly: [email protected] · Toll-Free: 0800 307 307 · Tel: +233 292 605 251
Apply at portal.ncc.gov.gh →| Tier 1 | 1 acre (0.4 ha) |
| Tier 2 | 1 to 3 acres (1.2 ha) |
| Tier 3 | 3 to 5 acres (up to 2 ha) |
| Tier 4 | 5 acres to under 5 ha |
| Cat. 2 | 5–20 hectares |
| Cat. 3 | 20–100 hectares |
| Cat. 4 | 100–600 hectares |
| Cat. 5 | 600–1,500 hectares |
| Cat. 6 | 1,500–5,000 hectares |
| Cat. 7 | 5,000–15,000 hectares |
| Cat. 8 | More than 15,000 hectares |
Development of approved low-THC cultivar varieties. Additional docs: approved cultivar info, site master file, sanitation plan, destruction plan.
Post-harvest processing into fibre, CBD, food products, or pharmaceutical inputs. Additional docs: environmental permit, equipment certification, pest management plan, site master file, sanitation plan, destruction plan.
Licensed import of approved cannabis seeds and cultivar material. Additional docs: approved destruction plan. Strict NACOC oversight required at every stage.
Export of processed medicinal and industrial cannabis products to international markets. Additional docs: approved destruction plan. NACOC compliance sign-off mandatory.
THC compliance testing and quality control. ISO accreditation required. Additional docs: equipment certification, testing plan, site master file, sanitation plan, destruction plan.
Secure licensed storage of cannabis products. Additional docs: environmental permit, equipment certification, sanitation plan, destruction plan.
Licensed movement between approved facilities. Additional docs: site or transport plan, equipment certification, sanitation plan, destruction plan.
Wholesale and retail of licensed cannabis products to approved downstream buyers. Subject to NACOC oversight throughout the supply chain.
Scientific and clinical R&D on cannabis cultivars and cannabinoid-based medicines. Additional docs: research protocol, project proposal, premises plan, destruction plan.
Licensed promotion of legal cannabis products. Subject to NACOC advertising standards and public health guidelines. No promotion of recreational use permitted.
The licensing portal is live. Create an account at portal.ncc.gov.gh and begin your application. For guidance contact NACOC's Cannabis Regulations Department directly — not through any intermediary.
Go to NACOC Portal → Full Requirements →To apply for a cannabis licence in Ghana you must go through NACOC — the Narcotics Control Commission — using their official online portal. As of February 26, 2026, the portal is live and accepting applications for all 11 licence categories under L.I. 2475 (2023). Here is exactly how to apply for a cannabis licence in Ghana:
Open your browser and navigate to portal.ncc.gov.gh. This is the only official NACOC licensing portal. Do not use any other website — NACOC has issued a formal warning that no individual or company is authorised to process applications on your behalf.
Register with your name, valid email address, and phone number. Use your Ghana Card number or passport number. Keep your login credentials safe — you will need them to track your application status.
Choose from the 11 licence categories. If you want to grow hemp, choose Cultivation and then your tier (1 acre up to 15,000+ hectares). If you want to process harvested hemp into fibre, CBD or food products, choose Processing. You can apply for multiple categories simultaneously if your business requires it.
This is the most time-consuming step. All 12 core documents plus any category-specific documents must be scanned and uploaded in acceptable formats. See the full document checklist below. Incomplete applications will be rejected and you will need to reapply.
Pay the applicable fee through the portal. Fees vary by licence category and scale of operation. Note: a Supreme Court petition filed in February 2026 challenges the fee structure — the outcome may change fees for small-scale applicants. Check the portal for the current fee schedule before paying.
After submission, NACOC will review your application. You may be contacted for additional information or a site inspection. Monitor your application status through the portal. For questions contact NACOC's Cannabis Regulations Department directly: [email protected] or Toll-Free: 0800 307 307.
Before applying for a cannabis licence in Ghana, you must meet NACOC's eligibility criteria. Requirements differ for individual applicants and corporate applicants.
Foreign investors cannot hold a majority stake in a Ghanaian cannabis licence. You must partner with Ghanaian citizens or permanent residents who will hold at least 50% ownership. This is a hard legal requirement — applications that do not meet this threshold will be rejected.
Every NACOC cannabis licence application — regardless of category — requires the following 12 core documents. Additional documents are required depending on which licence category you are applying for. Missing even one document will result in rejection.
NACOC charges application and annual licence fees that vary by category and scale of operation. The fee schedule is published on the portal at portal.ncc.gov.gh.
On February 27, 2026 — one day after the programme launched — a Techiman-based farmer filed a constitutional petition challenging the fee structure. The petition cites Articles 17 (equality), 174 (taxation), and 296 (unreasonable discretion) of Ghana's 1992 Constitution, arguing the fees unfairly exclude small-scale farmers. The case is active as of March 2026. GhanaHemp.com will update this page when a ruling is issued. If you are a small-scale farmer, you may wish to monitor this case before paying application fees. Contact: follow our Ghana News page for updates.
NACOC has not published a formal processing timeline, but based on standard regulatory practice applicants can expect the following sequence:
For questions at any stage, contact NACOC's Cannabis Regulations Department directly: [email protected] · Toll-Free: 0800 307 307 · Tel: +233 292 605 251. Do not use intermediaries.
Not as majority owner. Foreign investors can participate in a Ghanaian cannabis licence but cannot hold more than 49% of the company. At least 50% must be held by Ghanaian citizens or permanent residents. The board must also be majority Ghanaian. Many foreign investors partner with Ghanaian entrepreneurs or farmers to meet this requirement.
No. Only low-THC cannabis varieties — hemp with a maximum of 0.3% THC — are permitted under L.I. 2475. You must use approved cultivar varieties listed by NACOC. High-THC cannabis cultivation is illegal in Ghana regardless of licence status. Recreational cannabis remains a criminal offence.
Yes, if you are applying for a cultivation licence and you plan to sell your harvest to a licensed processor rather than processing it yourself. An off-taker agreement is a signed contract with a licensed buyer or processor. If you plan to process your own harvest, you can apply for both a cultivation and processing licence simultaneously.
Unlicensed cannabis cultivation is a serious criminal offence in Ghana. NACOC has enforcement powers and cooperates with the Ghana Police Service. Penalties include confiscation of crop, equipment and property, criminal prosecution, and significant prison sentences. There are no exceptions — even small-scale cultivation requires a licence.
NACOC's Cannabis Regulations Department can be reached at: Toll-Free: 0800 307 307 · Tel: +233 292 605 251 · Email: [email protected]. The main NACOC office is located in Accra. Applications are processed through the online portal at portal.ncc.gov.gh — walk-in applications are not accepted.
Yes. As of February 26, 2026, the portal at portal.ncc.gov.gh is live and accepting applications for all 11 licence categories. Interior Minister Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak officially declared the programme open on that date.