President John Dramani Mahama has declared that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), enacted in 2000 to boost African exports to the United States, is “technically dead.”

His remarks follow the imposition of new tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump, including a 15% levy on Ghanaian exports, effectively reversing years of duty-free access under AGOA.

Speaking on the issue during an encounter with the media on September 10, 2025, President Mahama noted that African countries previously benefited from zero tariffs in the US as part of concessions granted to developing economies.

However, he argued that President Trump’s transactional approach to trade has altered that dynamic.

No licence issued to any company for forest reserve mining - President Mahama

“Countries like ours enjoyed zero tariffs in the U.S. because we were part of the developing world. It was a concession the U.S. gave...Then comes President Trump with a more transactional mindset. He believes the U.S. has been taken for granted for too long, so even Ghana now faces a 15% tariff up from zero,” Mahama stated.

He added that, “AGOA is technically dead. It was due for renegotiation in September, but with this 15% tariff in place, there’s no way it will be renewed. We’re watching carefully.”

President Mahama also commented on the broader implications of executive power in trade decisions, stating, “The authority to impose tariffs lies with Congress, but in this case, the U.S. President continues to push the limits.”

AGOA has long been a cornerstone of U.S. trade policy with sub-Saharan Africa, offering duty-free access to over 1,800 products, in addition to more than 5,000 items under the Generalized System of Preferences.

The program was modernized and extended in 2015 to run through 2025.

For Ghana, the new tariffs represent a significant setback, undermining export competitiveness and reversing years of progress under AGOA.

The initiative had opened doors to the vast U.S. market, giving Ghanaian producers a vital edge in sectors such as textiles, agriculture, and light manufacturing.

SA/MA