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.

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.