NAIROBI, Kenya, Sept 26 – The Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA) has urged the United States to renew the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for 16 years, warning that failure to do so could destabilize jobs and investment flows in both countries.
Speaking at the Kenya–U.S. Investment Forum in New York, KEPSA CEO Carole Kariuki said that if renewal is not secured, Washington should grant Kenya a two-year transition window to negotiate a bilateral trade deal.
“AGOA has been the single most effective U.S. policy tool in Africa over the last 25 years. It has supported industries, created jobs, and transformed lives,” Kariuki said.
Kenya exported $470 million worth of apparel to the U.S. in 2024, supporting 66,800 direct jobs, three-quarters of them women.
KEPSA estimates that nearly 800,000 livelihoods depend on AGOA-linked exports.
For the U.S., the lobby group argues AGOA delivers consumer savings of $200–250 million annually, diversifies supply chains away from China, and sustains jobs in logistics, retail, and distribution.
KEPSA leaders, joined by executives from Safaricom, KCB, and other corporates, said that extending AGOA would boost investor confidence and deepen trade ties.
Kenya’s Parliament is already debating a motion in support of AGOA’s extension, while President William Ruto has raised the issue directly with U.S. officials during the UN General Assembly.
The 25-year-old trade pact, which allows duty-free access to U.S. markets for African goods, is set to expire in 2025 unless renewed by Congress.
