The United States House of Representatives has passed a bill extending the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for three years.
In a statement on Wednesday, January 14, Trade Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui welcomed the AGOA extension, saying it is critical for US-Africa trade relations.
CS Kinyanjui also said it has renewed certainty in Kenya’s textile and apparel industry, which has been operating under uncertainty in recent months.
“The United States House of Representatives has passed a Bill to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for a further three years, marking a critical milestone in U.S.–Africa trade relations.
“In Kenya, the textile and apparel industries operating within the Export Processing Zones (EPZs) employ over 80,000 people directly and an additional 250,000 indirectly. The uncertainty that had previously engulfed the sector will now give way to renewed confidence and expansion,” said the Trade CS.
CS Kinyanjui also mentioned that the government is keen to broaden Kenya’s exports under the AGOA framework beyond textiles and apparel to ensure the country fully utilizes the trade arrangement to create more jobs and income.
Further, he revealed that Kenya and the US are in discussions on a bilateral trade agreement that would cover other key sectors and cement Kenya’s long-standing partnership with the United States.
“During the recent visit by H.E. President William Ruto to Washington, D.C., Kenya’s request for enhanced market access to the U.S. was discussed.
“Kenya’s major exports to the U.S. include textiles and apparel, coffee, tea, horticultural products, and tourism services. Expanding our export basket remains a key priority and aligns with our broader strategic economic agenda,” CS Kinyanjui added.
The US House of Representatives approved the extension on Monday, January 12, after 340 House representatives voted in favour, against 54 who were against it.
The bill will now proceed to the US Senate for consideration before being signed into law
On September 30, 2025, the AGOA agreement expired after being in place for 25 years since May 2000. The deal was initially planned to run for 15 years, but it was later extended to June 2025.
AGOA provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the US market for more than 6,000 products, such as food and beverages, wood, plastics, and rubber, to promote economic growth, trade, and investment in the region.
Kenya has primarily capitalized on the apparel sector, supplemented by smaller exports of macadamia nuts.
