Kenya, Ghana, and Ethiopia are among the African economies that face the lowest tariffs under President Donald Trump’s new trade policy. Goods from the three countries will be subject to a 10% levy, significantly lower than rates imposed on Lesotho (50%), Madagascar (47%), Botswana (37%), Angola (32%), and South Africa (30%).
On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced tailored tariffs for countries globally in a move he said would bring manufacturing back to the US, increase tax revenues, and respond to unfair trade policies. The plan, which set a baseline tariff of 10%, could upset global trade and slow growth in developing countries like Kenya.
The 10% universal tariff will take effect on April 5, while reciprocal tariffs, such as those imposed on imports from Nigeria, will begin on April 9. Nigeria’s goods to the US will face a 14% levy, nearly half of the duties the West African nation imposes on imports from the US.
“April 2, 2025, will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again,” Trump said in an address on Wednesday.
Trump’s tariff announcement presents a significant political and economic risk for African countries like Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya, which already grapple with economic downturns.
Goods from around 30 African countries–most of which impose 10% tariffs–will face the lowest rates globally. Trump’s new trade policy further heightens uncertainty over the renewal of the African Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA), which is set to expire in September 2025.
South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya are the biggest beneficiaries of AGOA, which grants duty-free access to the US market for 32 sub-Saharan African countries. In 2024, AGOA-covered imports averaged $11.6 billion.
South Africa exports vehicle parts under AGOA, while Nigeria, Ghana, and Angola primarily export petroleum products. Meanwhile, Kenya, Lesotho, and Tanzania, focus on textile and apparel exports.
