Rwanda’s northern Musanze district is on the verge of a significant milestone: the completion of a cannabis production plant is slated for the first week of September.

This facility is spearheaded by King Kong Organics (KKOG) Rwanda, a subsidiary of the American-based KKOG Global.

PHOTO | COURTESY  cannabis production plant

Earlier this year, the Rwandan government, under President Paul Kagame, granted KKOG a five-year license to cultivate cannabis for medicinal purposes. The Rwanda Development Board (RDB) endorsed this initiative, focusing on extracting and exporting medicinal cannabis products.

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The New Times, a prominent Rwandan newspaper, recently quoted KKOG’s founder and CEO, Rene Joseph, stating that the plant is 70% complete. He confidently predicts the construction will be finished by the first week of September.

This ambitious project has seen KKOG invest a substantial $10 million (equivalent to Ksh.1.29 billion) in essential components such as machinery, facility construction, land acquisition fees, and the importation of genetically modified cannabis seeds. Despite an initial completion target of May, unforeseen delays, particularly the construction of a new access road, pushed back the project timeline.

PHOTO | COURTESY cannabis 

Since legalizing medical marijuana in 2021, Rwanda has taken careful steps to ensure that recreational cannabis remains prohibited. Cannabis plants in Rwanda typically mature in four to six months, and KKOG is poised to yield at least 5,000 kilograms per hectare.

RDB’s commitment to the cannabis sector is evident in its financial allocations, dedicating Rwf700 million (approximately Ksh.69 million) in the 2023/2024 fiscal year and increasing that to over Rwf2 billion (about Ksh.197 billion) in the current fiscal year.

PHOTO | COURTESY cannabis production plant

The economic potential of cannabis cultivation is substantial, with projections indicating that a hectare of cannabis could generate up to $10 million in revenue—far surpassing the $300,000 generated by a hectare of flowers.

KKOG stands as Africa’s largest licensed cannabis company, boasting extraction facilities in several countries, including DR Congo, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Uganda, and South Africa. Meanwhile, neighboring Kenya and Tanzania have yet to legalize cannabis despite its illegal production in significant quantities.