This report from Farmers Review Africa, published on 14 August 2024

Rwanda is set to have its cannabis production facility in September this year following the latest update by the contractors that the completion date has been pushed to give time for a new access road to the site be constructed.

According to Rene Joseph, the CEO at King Kong Organics (KKOG), a subsidiary of KKOG Global, which became the first company to secure a five-year license from the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) to operate cannabis production, the completion of the facility was scheduled for May but has been pushed to September.

“We are at 70 per cent to complete the facility set up and we expect to finish by the first week of September,” he told The New Times.

KKOG announced an initial investment of $10 million for machinery, facility construction, land acquisition fees, contractor payments, and the import of genetically modified cannabis seeds, among other expenses.

Joseph said that the production process, including the extraction of cannabis oils primarily for export, will be made possible through a $3 million investment from the Rwandan government.

KKOG aims to produce at least 5,000 kilograms of cannabis per hectare, with the plants maturing within four to six months.

The RDB allocated approximately 35 hectares in Musanze District to five potential investors, granting each five hectares, with an additional 10 hectares designated for communal use and security.

KKOG in its own words: 

KKOG is a pharmaceutical grade cannabis cultivation and extraction company. KKOG is currently building a globally diversified and integrated supply chain for high quality cannabis (THC & CBD). Cultivation and Extraction is currently in production in Africa and farming operation are being further established across a number of countries. KKOG has numerous applications, and undertaken negotiations with government partners in many Africa Countries, and is actively obtaining license to cultivate, extract and export cannabis.

KKOH intends to become the largest volume producer of wholesale cannabis oils globally. KKOG research labs are currently in R&D creating leading formulations for cannabis related products in multiple sectors.