- Kenya backs AGOA extension to 2028 for continued US market access.
- Tea, coffee, flowers and nuts could benefit from tariff free exports.
- Government pushes value addition to boost agricultural export earnings.
Kenya has welcomed a proposal to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) to December 2028, saying the move would provide exporters with greater certainty and preserve duty-free access to the United States market.
The State Department for Trade said the proposed extension had already secured approval from the US Senate and was awaiting consideration by the House of Representatives.
“The extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is an important opportunity for Kenya to maintain duty-free access to the US market and strengthen trade relations between the two countries,” the department said in a statement issued on Thursday.
AGOA, which allows eligible African countries to export thousands of products to the US without tariffs, expired on September 30, 2025. It was subsequently extended in February 2026 until December 31, 2026.
An extension through 2028 would give Kenyan exporters a longer period to plan investments, expand production and strengthen their position in the US market without uncertainty over tariffs.
Principal Secretary for Trade Regina Ombam said continued access under AGOA would be particularly important to Kenya’s agricultural sector.
She identified cut flowers, tea, coffee and macadamia nuts among the products that could benefit from continued tariff-free access to the US.
Ombam spoke in Nairobi during a Kenya-US Agriculture, Trade and Investment Roundtable, organised through the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA).
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The discussions brought together US agricultural officials and Kenyan representatives from government and the private sector, with participants examining opportunities in trade, investment, market access and agricultural value addition.
Ombam said Kenya had considerable potential to grow its agricultural exports if producers and businesses gained wider access to international markets.
She singled out tea, coffee, flowers, nuts and avocados as products with strong export potential, while calling for greater investment in processing and other forms of value addition.
The PS said moving beyond the export of raw agricultural products would enable Kenyan farmers and businesses to capture more value from international trade.
She also pointed to Kenya’s membership in the East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an advantage for investors and exporters.
According to Ombam, the regional and continental markets provide Kenyan businesses with a wider customer base while positioning the country as a potential gateway for investment into Africa.
The Government also reiterated its focus on climate-resilient agriculture and the development of competitive and sustainable agricultural value chains.
The proposed AGOA extension comes as Kenya seeks to strengthen its trade relationship with the US while expanding the range and value of products entering the American market.
For exporters, maintaining preferential access would provide more predictable conditions for production and investment, particularly in sectors that rely heavily on the US market.
By Jonathan Mwinzi
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