AGOA Expires: African Nations Face Higher Tariffs as US Talks Renewal
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) expired on Tuesday, 30 September 2025, leaving 32 African countries facing higher tariffs due to the US 'reciprocal' tariffs scheme. Despite bipartisan support in the US, a renewal is likely to occur in a few months. AGOA has been consequential to the apparel sector of various African countries, with Kenya exporting $470 million worth of clothing to the US in 2024, supporting over 66,000 jobs.
AGOA, in place for 25 years and last renewed in 2015 for ten years, provides duty-free access to thousands of products from African countries to the US market. Its expiration comes at a critical time as African states, including Lesotho and Nigeria, have been engaging with US officials in Washington, DC, to discuss its renewal. A bipartisan bill introduced in April 2024 aims to extend AGOA to 2041. Multiple African envoys have traveled to the US capital to negotiate a renewal.
If AGOA isn't renewed, beneficiary countries may turn to alternative trade partners, such as the Africa Continental Free Trade Area. The US government supports a renewal and extension of AGOA, with discussions around a potential one-year extension and a longer-term renewal to maintain trade preferences beyond the September 30, 2025 expiration date. A White House official has expressed support for a one-year renewal.
AGOA's renewal is crucial for the economic stability of many African countries, particularly those in the apparel sector. With negotiations ongoing, the future of AGOA remains uncertain, but a renewal is expected in the coming months. This will help maintain the trade preferences that have benefited African countries for the past 25 years.
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