AGOA: US Senate approves extension until 2028

According to Financial Afrik on August 10, 2026, the US Senate has approved the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) until 2028. The source does not specify the exact date of the vote or the number of votes obtained. AGOA, in effect since 2000 under the Clinton administration, grants duty-free access to the US market for more than 6,800 tariff lines from eligible sub-Saharan African countries. The mechanism was renewed in 2015 for ten years, with a deadline originally set for September 30, 2025. Around thirty countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, and Nigeria, currently benefit from it. The bill still needs to be passed by the House of Representatives and signed into law by the president to enter into force. This extension secures preferential access to the US market for African textile, automotive, and agricultural exporters until 2028. In Lesotho, the AGOA-linked textile sector supports tens of thousands of workers directly exposed to any regulatory uncertainty. This vote comes after months of political uncertainty in Washington, as African governments and employers repeatedly warned of the risks of job losses. It takes place against a backdrop of increased trade competition with China, as Washington seeks to strengthen its economic ties with sub-Saharan Africa.