US President Donald Trump has signed into law a one-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), restoring duty-free access for African countries to the US market until December 31, 2026, the Office of the US Trade Representative announced on Tuesday.
The renewal, retroactive from September 30, 2025, when the program expired, aims to stabilize trade flows and protect thousands of African jobs previously threatened by the lapse.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said his office will collaborate with Congress to modernize AGOA in line with the Trump administration’s America First trade policy. “AGOA for the 21st century must demand more from our trading partners and yield more market access for US businesses, farmers, and ranchers,” he stated.
First enacted in 2000, AGOA allows qualifying sub-Saharan African countries to export over 1,800 products to the United States duty-free. Eligibility requires nations to progress in establishing market-based economies, upholding the rule of law, removing trade barriers, reducing poverty, combating corruption, and protecting human rights.
In 2024, African exports under AGOA totaled $8.23 billion, with South Africa accounting for nearly half and Nigeria contributing approximately 20%, according to the US International Trade Commission.
The program’s expiration in September 2025 had disrupted trade flows, creating uncertainty for African exporters. While the US House of Representatives initially approved a three-year extension, the Senate reduced it to one year, a decision the House later agreed upon.
The extension comes amid tense US-South Africa relations. Last year, President Trump skipped the G20 summit in South Africa and later announced that South Africa would not be invited to upcoming US-hosted G20 meetings. The US has accused South Africa of discriminating against its white minority, claims the South African government denies. Nevertheless, South African Trade Minister Parks Tau welcomed the AGOA extension, emphasizing its importance for regional trade stability.
