Namibia may see renewed continuity in trade access to the United States following the approval of legislation by the U.S. House of Representatives to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act through 2028. The bill was passed by a large majority and will now move to the U.S. Senate for consideration.
If enacted, the extension would maintain duty-free access to the U.S. market for eligible products from sub-Saharan African countries, including Namibia. The previous Agoa framework expired on 30 September 2025 after several earlier extensions.
Namibia remains a designated beneficiary country and has sought to improve its use of the program. In May 2021, the country launched an AGOA Utilisation Strategy aimed at expanding exports to the U.S., with a focus on value-added and agricultural products.
A key development under Agoa occurred in September 2016, when Namibia became the first African country approved by the United States Department of Agriculture to export raw beef and veal to the U.S. market. Table grapes have also been exported under the program, although both products are subject to strict animal and plant health requirements.
Research firm Simonis Storm has previously noted that the expiry of Agoa made it more difficult for Namibian industries such as fish processing, beef, beverages, and manufactured goods to compete internationally without preferential access to the U.S. market. According to the firm, Namibia's overall exposure under Agoa has been limited, as exports to the U.S. are mainly concentrated in uranium, non-monetary gold, copper, and diamonds, which already face low most-favoured-nation tariffs.
Agoa, formally the Trade and Development Act of 2000, provides preferential access to more than 2,000 product lines beyond those covered by the U.S. Generalised System of Preferences. Currently, 32 of Africa's 54 countries qualify for Agoa benefits, with 35 actively trading under the program.
Source: The Namibian
