Last year, the United Nations
projected Africa's population to be at 1,316,164,487 people, or 16.72% of the
total global population.
With terrible leadership and
socioeconomic challenges, as well as a large flight of its young minds to North
America and Europe for better working and living circumstances, the continent
has been left gasping for air.
According to a World Bank research on
Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa's growth rate is expected to average 3.6% in
2019-20.
The issue here is that sluggish
economic growth will struggle to support a huge population, resulting in a
snail's pace of economic progress.
Some major African nations are
considering legalising cannabis in order to counteract this and strengthen the
economy.
Except for Lesotho, most African
governments have frowned on cannabis usage and imposed heavy punishments on
individuals who dabble with it, but this looks to be changing.
Uganda, on the other hand, has agreed
to export marijuana goods to Canada and Germany for $160 million per year for
the next ten years, beginning in 2018. Of sure, this will help Uganda's economy
in the next years.
According to a UN report, Africa
produces more than 10,000 tonnes of cannabis each year, which might be worth
billions of dollars.
According to study data gathered from
The African Cannabis Report, if a competent and well-monitored regulation is
created and efficiently implemented, Africa's cannabis market will be worth a
fortune. The sector in Africa is expected to be worth more than $7.1 billion
yearly.
The market is predicted to be massive,
with significant economic and job creation potential, boosting economic
development.
According to a part of the African
Cannabis Report, "Africa presents a huge potential to local start-ups and
multinational enterprises eager to develop, with accessible land, low-cost
labour, and an experienced agricultural staff."
As Uganda continues to sleep, the
following five countries are poised to reap the benefits of cannabis.
Nigeria
Prior to legalising the cannabis
sector, the Nigerian government took a harsh stance to discourage the general
public from using and abusing marijuana.
However, the Nigerian government has recently begun to recognise the political and economic significance of cannabis growth and cultivation.
South African Republic
The South African constitutional court
made a judgement in 2018 that banned all criminal offences associated with
recreational cannabis use, and the government of South Africa was given two
years to combine the cannabis laws with the constitution.
Morocco
In 2014, an opposition group in
Morocco's parliament introduced a law that would legalise the cultivation of
marijuana for medicinal purposes, however the idea was rejected and did not
pass. Although cannabis has been permitted in the nation to some degree,
Morocco now employs over 800,000
people and generates $10 billion in yearly sales. Although cannabis is allowed
for personal use, it is still banned for commercial usage.
Ghana
There have been several proposals for
cannabis legalisation in Ghana, since the immense potential of cannabis is much
more apparent than before.
According to Myjoyonline, the
legalisation of cannabis is still hampered by government authorities and mental
health professionals.
Kenya
A bill legalising marijuana was proposed
by a member of the Kenyan parliament in 2018, sparking a series of arguments.
According to Kenneth Okoth, the MP who
presented this measure, "the advantages of a managed cannabis business
(Medical and Commercial) outweigh the necessity for its absolute
prohibition."
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