The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) officially expired on September 30, ending 25 years of duty-free treatment for many US imports from sub-Saharan African countries. Despite strong bipartisan support, Congress was unable to renew the program before the deadline, leaving US importers and supply chain partners facing new tariff exposure and potential sourcing challenges.
In 2023, nearly $10 billion in US imports entered duty-free under AGOA—covering apparel, footwear, metals, vehicles, and other manufactured goods. With AGOA’s expiration, these products now face most-favored-nation (MFN) tariff rates, which could significantly raise landed costs and disrupt supply chains dependent on African sourcing. Industries such as textiles and apparel in countries like Kenya, Lesotho, and Madagascar are expected to be hit hardest, potentially leading to production slowdowns, factory closures, and order delays that ripple across logistics networks.
Beyond higher tariffs, US shippers should anticipate longer lead times, reduced export volumes, and limited supplier stability as African manufacturers adjust to losing preferential access. The expiration also weakens US–Africa trade relations, potentially giving competitors such as China a larger foothold in African trade and infrastructure development.
While Congress and the administration continue to express support for AGOA, including potential short-term extensions or long-term reauthorization, no definitive timeline has been set.
Reach out to Mohawk Global Trade Advisors today to discuss how AGOA’s expiration may impact your imports and what proactive steps you can take to mitigate risk.