President John Mahama has declared the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) “technically dead” following the United States’ decision to introduce new tariffs on African exports, including a 15% levy on goods from Ghana.
Speaking at his first presidential media encounter in his second term, Mahama warned that the future of the trade agreement looked bleak.
“Countries in Africa previously enjoyed zero tariffs in the U.S. as part of a concession to developing nations. But President Trump, with his transactional approach, argued that America had been taken for granted. As a result, Ghana and other African countries now face a 15% tariff, up from zero,” Mahama explained.
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“With this tariff regime, AGOA is technically dead. It was scheduled for renegotiation in September, but renewal is unlikely. We are monitoring the situation closely. Although tariff powers lie with Congress, President Trump has consistently stretched those limits,” he added.
Enacted in 2000, AGOA has been central to U.S. trade relations with sub-Saharan Africa, offering duty-free access to more than 1,800 products in addition to over 5,000 under the Generalised System of Preferences. The programme was renewed and modernised in 2015, extending its lifespan until 2025.
However, Trump’s protectionist policies have cast serious doubt over its continuation. For Ghana, the imposition of tariffs strikes at the heart of its export competitiveness, reversing years of duty-free access under AGOA.
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem