The renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has provided a crucial lifeline for Ghanaian exporters as a new 10% U.S. tariff takes effect today, the president of the Federation of Associations of Ghanaian Exporters (FAGE) has told The High Street Journal.
Speaking about the combined effect of the tariff and AGOA, FAGE president Mr. Davies Narh Korboe said: “If AGOA had not been renewed, coupled with this tariff, the imposition of the tariff would have been a big disaster for us.”
The Trump administration’s 10% tariff, effective today, targets a range of imported goods and is part of a broader effort to enforce trade deals and support U.S. manufacturing. Without AGOA’s renewed duty-free access, Ghanaian exporters faced the risk of reduced competitiveness in the U.S. market.
AGOA allows eligible African countries to export over 6,400 products to the United States duty-free. For Ghana, this includes key items such as cocoa beans and cocoa products, shea butter, cashew nuts, pineapples, mangoes, textiles, apparel, and selected manufactured goods. These products form a significant portion of Ghana’s export portfolio and generate substantial revenue for local businesses and employment.
The FAGE president described the renewal of AGOA as a timely relief, adding: “The tariff is there, and AGOA is another window. As it stands now, I think that, for me, it’s going to give us a bit of relief.”
He also urged exporters to take advantage of the renewed access to maximize shipments to the U.S “Our exporters are going to have a future to also export. We have to take advantage of this window to maximize our export to the United States.”
The combination of AGOA and the new tariff underscores the importance of strategic planning for Ghanaian exporters. By leveraging AGOA, they can continue shipping products like cocoa, fruits, nuts, vegetables, and apparel to the U.S. without additional duties, protecting revenue streams and sustaining jobs across the country.
