The United States House of representatives has passed a Bill to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for three more years.
The move, follows the expiry of the pact in September 2025, after a renewal in 2015 through the AGOA Extension and Enhancement Act.
The program, which was first enacted in May 2000, allows duty-free export of over 1,800 products to the United States market by 32 eligible sub-Saharan African countries. The extension paves the way for the continuity of the program up to December 31, 2028.
Kenya, a key beneficiary of the AGOA program, mainly exports textile and apparel to the United States. The renewal of the agreement has brought a sigh of relief and renewed confidence to Kenya’s manufacturing sector after heightened panic following the expiry of the program and earlier rise in U.S. tariffs and trade barriers. The textile and apparel industries operating within the Export Processing Zones (EPZs) employ over 80,000 people directly and 250,000 indirectly.
Kenya plans to increase additional export products under AGOA pact
In a statement by the Ministry of Investment Trade and Industry, the government said it aims to grow exports of additional products under AGOA beyond textiles, ensuring that the country reaps maximum benefit from the framework.
The ministry also stated that it is in discussions on a bilateral agreement that will cover key sectors and further strengthen Kenya’s relationship with the United States. Currently, Kenya mainly exports textiles and apparels, coffee, tea, horticultural products, and tourism services to the United States.
