The Issues

The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)

Thousands of U.S. jobs and billions in trade are at risk. Congress must act NOW to reauthorize this important program.

  • For over 20 years, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has been the foundation of U.S. trade and economic relationships with Africa, unlocking key African markets for U.S. companies, allowing them to diversify supply chains and better compete globally. 
  • Established in 2000, AGOA has earned bipartisan support from multiple presidents and congresses – including when it was last reauthorized in 2015 – because of its strong economic benefits for the U.S. and Africa. 
  • AGOA has helped create hundreds of thousands of jobs, both in the U.S. and in African countries that meet its specific criteria (related to free markets, economic reforms, and eliminating barriers to U.S. trade). 450,000 U.S. jobs are linked to U.S.-Africa trade.  
  • AGOA has been a boon to the United States: In the past two decades, U.S. exports to AGOA countries have increased nearly 300% (from $5 billion in 2000 to $14.8 billion in 2022).  
  • Secretary Rubio has stated: “In Africa, America needs a policy of trade, not aid, and … expanding opportunities for American companies.” AGOA is an essential tool for that shift in priorities. 
  • Allowing AGOA to lapse would cede America’s strategic, diplomatic, and economic interests to adversaries like China and Russia, who continue their deliberate inroads into the continent. Time and again, African officials stress that America is the partner of choice, but they can’t engage if we don’t show up. 

We urge Congress and the Administration to reauthorize this important program before it expires on September 30, 2025.