US House approves AGOA extension to 2028 :: Mmegi Online

The United States House of Representatives has passed a bill to extend the Africa Growth Opportunity Act (AGOA) for two years to 2028, providing some African countries such as Botswana with duty-free access to certain products.

The vote, this week, enjoyed bipartisan support with 340 members of the House voting in favour of the deal, whilst 50 voted against the bill. The future of AGOA has been in the balance in the years leading to this month’s vote, with fears of a change in American policy towards preferential trade.

AGOA is a trade preferential agreement between the United States and certain eligible countries in sub-Saharan Africa that allows over 1,800 products from these countries to enter the United States duty-free, including in the leading African export industries of textiles and oil. It was last renewed in 2015 for 10 years and expired at the end of September 2025.

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