Kenya is actively pursuing bilateral trade agreements with the United States to succeed the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
According to the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), the move seeks to attain longer-term, predictable trade benefits for local manufacturers.
It adds that, unlike AGOA’s time-bound preferences, these new deals will provide stability that allows industries to plan and expand with confidence.
Speaking on Tuesday during the unveiling of the 2026 Manufacturing Priority Agenda (MPA) by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), industry leaders emphasised the need to move beyond AGOA’s limitations and secure sustained access to the US market.
Notably, AGOA, which expired in September last year, has been given a retroactive extension until December 31, 2026, but the timelines still present uncertainty for exporters.
KAM Chief Executive Tobias Alando, in his remarks, highlighted the importance of pursuing bilateral agreements.
“AGOA has served Kenya well, but its time-bound nature makes long-term industrial planning difficult. By negotiating bilaterals, we can secure continuous, predictable trade terms that help manufacturers scale and invest confidently in the US market,” Alando said.
He added that the bilateral approach would not only provide stability but also strengthen Kenya’s bargaining power in shaping trade rules.
“Moving to bilateral agreements allows us to design deals that are tailored to our economic priorities, rather than being constrained by the expiry dates and rigid conditions of existing programmes. This is crucial for supporting investment, job creation, and industrial growth.”
However, the United States’ renewal of the Act offers one illustration.
At a time of wider policy volatility, the renewal brings welcome predictability to trade relationships that directly affect development prospects.
The continuity of AGOA and related preferential arrangements is central to the longer-term certainty on which investment and job creation depend.
For 32 sub-Saharan African countries, 21 of them least developed, AGOA supports export sectors in textiles, agriculture and light manufacturing.