US Senate approves extension of African Growth and Opportunity Act through 2028

The United States Senate has voted 90-6 to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) through December 31, 2028. The extension was included as part of a stopgap funding measure, H.R. 6500, which must now return to the House of Representatives for a vote in September.

AGOA is a unilateral program that allows eligible sub-Saharan African countries to export most goods to the United States duty-free. The Kenyan government has welcomed the decision, noting that it provides critical certainty for exporters. In Kenya, the apparel sector is a major beneficiary, accounting for approximately 70 percent of the country’s total exports to the U.S. market. In 2024, Kenya’s apparel exports under AGOA reached approximately US$470 million.

The extension also maintains the third-country fabric provision, which allows companies in Kenya’s Export Processing Zones to source raw materials from non-AGOA countries to manufacture finished garments for duty-free export to the U.S.