US updates tariff rules to implement AGOA changes

…restores Gabon’s eligibility for participation

 

The United States has updated its tariff rules governing African trade preferences, formally embedding changes to the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and related programmes into the customs framework used by importers and border officials.

The update, contained in a White House proclamation issued in May, amends the US Harmonized Tariff Schedule, the detailed customs framework that determines how imports enter the country and under what conditions they qualify for duty-free treatment.

This ensures that the AGOA extension till December 2026 approved by President Trump in February are fully reflected in the technical tariff language used by US Customs and Border Protection at the border.

Read also: Trump extends AGOA by one year

Importers and customs brokers can now rely on a corrected and consolidated tariff schedule that incorporates AGOA-related provisions and other trade preference adjustments.

Without it, discrepancies could emerge between statutory law and the operational rules used during customs clearance, creating uncertainty for traders and compliance risks for shipments.

Part of the White House’ update is the formal reinstatement of Gabon as an AGOA beneficiary country.

The West African oil producer had previously been removed from the programme following concerns over political and governance conditions required under AGOA eligibility rules.

Its reinstatement signals that Washington now considers it to have made sufficient progress to regain access to the preferential trade arrangement, effective from 2026.

The proclamation also embeds AGOA apparel-related provisions into the tariff schedule, particularly rules that govern how eligible African exporters can qualify for duty-free access when producing clothing for the US market.

Read also: AGOA extension offers Nigeria opportunity to tap US-Africa trade deal

These include arrangements that allow certain exporters to use non-domestic fabric inputs while still benefiting from preferential access, a flexibility designed to support countries that have not yet developed fully integrated textile supply chains.