African manufacturers are pressing the United States Congress to grant an urgent one- to two-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunities Act (AGOA), a duty-free trade programme set to expire at the end of September.
Pankaj Bedi, chairman of Kenya’s United Aryan apparel group and a board member of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, told Reuters that delegations from Kenya and four other AGOA beneficiary nations travelled to Washington last week to make their case. The trade pact, enacted in 2000 under former US President Bill Clinton, allows thousands of African products duty-free access to the American market.
Fears over Trump’s trade stance
Despite long-standing bipartisan support, efforts to renew AGOA have stumbled. A 16-year extension proposal failed to reach a vote last year, and US President Donald Trump’s aggressive tariff policies have raised doubts over political will for a short-term fix.
Bedi said the African delegation held more than 30 meetings with lawmakers and aides, including staff for House Speaker Mike Johnson. He reported broad backing across Republican and Democratic offices for a renewal but warned that the real hurdle is finding a legislative vehicle in the limited time left.
‘There was universal support for AGOA,’ Bedi said. ‘But we don’t know if Congress can attach a renewal to a bill before the deadline.’
Job losses and higher costs loom
The stakes are high for Africa’s textile, automotive and mining industries, which depend on AGOA to compete in the US market and sustain hundreds of thousands of jobs. Without an extension, exporters could face steep tariff hikes, such as an increase from 10 percent to 43 percent on synthetic textiles.
‘It’s like a house of cards that will collapse,’ Bedi warned, predicting widespread layoffs if the programme lapses.
Geopolitical consequences
US officials have long viewed AGOA as a tool to bolster African economies while countering China’s growing influence on the continent. Bedi cautioned that ending the initiative would inadvertently strengthen Asian suppliers.
‘If this is taken away, by default, the business is going to go back to China,’ he said.
The White House, the Office of the US Trade Representative and Speaker Johnson’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the administration has not publicly stated its position on an extension.
