Nigeria gets AGOA extension, urged to boost exports

The NACC National President, Alhaji Sheriff Balogun

The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce has urged Nigeria to use the extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act to expand non-oil exports and address domestic bottlenecks limiting access to the United States market.

The call followed the signing by United States President Donald Trump of the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027, which extends AGOA through December 31, 2028.

The extension preserves duty-free access to the US market for Nigeria and 31 other sub-Saharan African countries, providing businesses with greater certainty to plan investments, production and exports.

The measure passed the United States Senate by 90 votes to six and the House of Representatives by 340 votes to 54.

The Chamber disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its Deputy President, Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Ehi Braimah.

The NACC National President, Alhaji Sheriff Balogun, said the extension provided Nigeria with an opportunity to strengthen its export base and attract new investment.

“This extension gives Nigeria the certainty needed to invest and expand our exports. But we must use these twenty-eight months to move beyond oil. Nigeria is the second-largest AGOA beneficiary, yet we’re underutilising it. We need to diversify into agricultural products, textiles, processed foods and manufactures where we have real advantage.”

The Chamber said the extension should be used to address structural challenges that have limited Nigeria’s ability to maximise preferential access to the US market. It called on the Federal Government, private sector and state governments to take coordinated and practical measures during the extension period.

The NACC urged stakeholders to broaden Nigeria’s AGOA exports beyond crude oil by developing agricultural products, textiles, processed foods and manufactured goods capable of competing in the US market.

It also called for the removal of domestic bottlenecks affecting exporters, particularly challenges involving ports, standards compliance and logistics, which can delay shipments, raise costs and weaken the competitiveness of Nigerian businesses.

The Chamber further encouraged the Nigerian government to engage with Washington on trade-related concerns, including issues surrounding forced-labour compliance, to protect Nigeria’s continued access to the US market and strengthen confidence between both countries.

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It said greater continental coordination would also be important, urging Nigeria to work with the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area framework to strengthen Africa’s collective position in discussions on the modernisation and future of AGOA.

The NACC also advocated stronger US-Nigeria commercial partnerships through joint ventures, technology transfer and increased investment in productive sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Balogun said Nigeria needed to make urgent use of the extension period. “The next two years are a sprint, not a pause. NACC will connect Nigerian producers with American buyers and make the business case for a lasting successor to AGOA that serves all our interests.”

The Chamber said it would continue to facilitate commercial relationships between Nigerian producers and American buyers while supporting businesses seeking to understand and access opportunities under AGOA.

It said Nigeria’s position as one of the leading beneficiaries of AGOA provided a foundation for expanding non-oil exports and strengthening the country’s participation in international trade.

The Chamber added that increased exports of value-added Nigerian products could contribute to job creation, industrial development, foreign exchange earnings and broader economic growth.

As the United States and African countries consider the future of trade relations beyond the current AGOA extension, the NACC said Nigeria must demonstrate that it can make productive use of the remaining period while contributing to discussions on a sustainable successor framework.

The Chamber therefore called for coordinated efforts involving government, businesses, exporters, manufacturers, farmers, financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria enters the next phase of US-Africa trade from a stronger position.

The NACC said it remained committed to promoting bilateral trade and investment between Nigeria and the United States and providing its members and partners with advocacy, market intelligence, trade facilitation and networking opportunities.

The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, founded in 1960, is Nigeria’s foremost bilateral chamber of commerce promoting trade and investment relations between Nigeria and the United States.

With its headquarters in Lagos and chapters across Nigeria and in the United States, including Maryland and Houston, the Chamber provides advocacy, trade facilitation, market intelligence, and networking services to its members and partners.