AGOA has expired — what's next for African trade and jobs?

Lesotho, Kenya, and other countries had lobbied the Trump administration to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). However, no renewal has been confirmed. The agreement, which gave many African countries duty-free access to the US market, officially ended on September 30.

AGOA was introduced by former US President Bill Clinton in May 2000. Of the 54 countries in Africa, 32 were eligible under the program in 2024.