The Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) is urging Kenya and the U.S. to fast-track a long-term bilateral trade agreement following the 16-month extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). This move aims to create a sustainable trade framework beyond temporary renewals, ensuring predictability for exporters and investors.

• Bilateral trade between Kenya and the U.S. has seen U.S. exports to Kenya reach KSh 2.1 trillion and Kenyan exports to the U.S. total KSh 1.8 trillion over the last 20 years.
• KAM Chief Executive Tobias Alando emphasized that this extension provides a critical window to finalize a pact that guarantees continued access to the U.S. market.
• AGOA has created approximately 68,000 jobs in Kenya, indirectly supporting nearly 700,000 dependents, primarily in textiles, apparel, and agriculture, with Kenyan exports to the U.S. reaching Ksh126 billion in 2025.

Kenya is set to sign a duty-free, quota-free trade agreement with China within the next 30 days, allowing Kenyan farmers to export products such as avocados and pork with zero tariffs. This move aims to significantly boost Kenya's agricultural export sector.

• The agreement will grant Kenyan farmers unrestricted access to the Chinese market.
• Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui confirmed the deal, highlighting it as a boost for Kenya's economy over other neighboring nations.
• The government will deploy officers to guide farmers in meeting export quality standards. Additionally, Kenya is also negotiating a separate trade deal with the United States.

US President Donald Trump has signed a one-year extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), restoring duty-free access to the US market for eligible Sub-Saharan African countries until December 31, 2026. This extension, backdated from September 30, 2025, prevents potential tariffs of up to 42 percent on Kenyan goods.

• The extension protects over 330,000 Kenyan jobs, particularly in the apparel and textile sectors, which generated Ksh95 billion in shipments to American consumers during 2024.
• US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer indicated that AGOA will undergo significant modernisation under Trump's America First trade policy.
• In 2024, African countries exported Ksh1.06 trillion worth of goods under AGOA, with South Africa accounting for about half and Nigeria contributing roughly one-fifth.