NextFin news, Accra, Ghana – On Thursday, September 11, 2025, President John Dramani Mahama stated that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is unlikely to be renewed after the United States imposed tariffs on African countries' exports, including Ghana, which now faces a 15% tariff on goods entering the U.S. market.
Speaking during his first presidential media encounter of his second term, President Mahama explained that AGOA, which had provided duty-free access to the U.S. market for eligible sub-Saharan African countries since 2000, is 'technically dead' due to the tariff changes introduced by the Trump administration.
"Countries like Africa enjoyed zero tariffs in the U.S. because we were in the developing world. It was a concession that the U.S. gave. In comes President Trump. He has a more transactional mindset. He says the U.S. has been taken for granted for a long time, so even countries like Ghana in Africa, he slapped a 15% tariff on us from zero tariff," Mahama said.
AGOA was scheduled for renegotiation in September 2025, but the imposition of tariffs has cast doubt on its renewal. President Mahama noted that while the power to impose tariffs lies with the U.S. Congress, the Trump administration pushed the limits by enforcing these tariffs.
Since its enactment in 2000, AGOA has been central to U.S. economic policy and commercial engagement with Africa, granting duty-free access to over 1,800 products from eligible countries. The program was modernized and extended by the U.S. Congress in 2015 to run through 2025.
The Trump administration's shift toward protectionist trade policies, including tariffs on African exports, has disrupted this arrangement, leading to concerns about the future of U.S.-Africa trade relations.
President Mahama's comments highlight the challenges African countries face in maintaining preferential trade agreements amid changing U.S. trade policies. Ghana and other African nations now confront increased costs on exports to the U.S., potentially affecting their economies and trade balances.
These developments come as African countries and stakeholders watch closely for any further decisions by the U.S. government regarding AGOA and trade tariffs.
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