Basics

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is a U.S. trade law that provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the U.S. market for nearly 7,000 products. In September 2026, Congress and President Trump extended AGOA through December 31, 2028, providing additional certainty for U.S. businesses and African exporters while giving policymakers a window to consider reforms to the program. The extension preserves AGOA’s preferential market access while policymakers debate how to make the program more effective at expanding U.S. exports, encouraging investment, strengthening supply chains, and advancing U.S. economic and strategic interests in Africa. This Basic will examine what AGOA has accomplished since its inception over 25 years ago and opportunities for reforms over the next two years.