South African exports recorded under AGOA represented about 1% of its total exports in 2025, but businesses warn the planned policy change could put jobs at risk.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said Nov. 2 that President Donald Trump had notified Congress and the South African and Rwandan governments of his intent to end their African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) eligibility, effective Jan. 1, 2027. USTR cited barriers to U.S. trade and investment, corruption, and concerns involving U.S. national security and foreign policy. EconoTimes previously covered the planned change to the two countries’ AGOA status.
South African government figures put the AGOA share at roughly 1% of the country’s total exports in 2025. The program covered about 10% of exports to the United States that year, down from 28% in 2024. AGOA shipments were valued at nearly $1.7 billion in 2025, compared with $4 billion in 2024; about 89% of South African exports to the U.S. used World Trade Organization most-favored-nation terms.
Reuters and BusinessDay NG reported that Business Unity South Africa (BUSA) estimated potential job losses at a few thousand. Citrus Growers’ Association of Southern Africa chair Gerrit van der Merwe told Reuters the employment impact could not yet be quantified, though some workers would lose jobs.
South African exporters could continue selling to U.S. buyers if AGOA eligibility ends, subject to applicable tariffs and import rules. AgriSA estimated that South African agricultural exports to the U.S. were worth $504 million in 2025, 3% less than in 2024. It said the tariff effects would depend on the product and its classification. USTR estimated total U.S.-South Africa trade in goods and services at $28.8 billion in 2025.
Congress extended AGOA through Dec. 31, 2026. The program, enacted in 2000, gives eligible sub-Saharan African countries duty-free access to the U.S. for most exports. The South African government said it was assessing the consequences with affected industries. Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau said Pretoria viewed the decision as separate from the broader relationship with the U.S. and said resolving the issue depended on both sides’ willingness to cooperate. The stated effective date for the planned change is Jan. 1, 2027.
