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At Shona EPZ, a garment factory on the outskirts of Nairobi, the steady hum of sewing machines usually signals productivity and hope. But today, the rhythm feels uncertain. Workers like 29-year-old Joan Wambui fear the looming expiry of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa) — a US trade law that for 25 years has allowed African goods duty-free access to American markets.
Agoa, widely seen as the cornerstone of US-Africa economic relations, is due to expire on Tuesday. While Washington has floated the possibility of a one-year extension, no decision has been announced. For thousands of Kenyan workers, that uncertainty could be devastating.
Wambui, who has worked at Shona for just six months sewing sportswear for the US, supports her young daughter, two sisters in college, and her mother. “If Agoa expires, where shall we go?” she asks, hands moving quickly over fabric. For her, a regular wage has meant dignity, security, and a future.
Kenya’s apparel industry is one of Agoa’s biggest success stories. In 2024, the country exported $470m worth of clothing to the US, sustaining more than 66,000 jobs, three-quarters of them held by women. But orders are already shrinking. Shona’s monthly output has dropped by two-thirds as buyers hesitate, and director Isaac Maluki warns: “If the extension isn’t granted, we may have to send people home and possibly shut down.”
The stakes reach far beyond Kenya. Over 30 African nations currently export more than 6,000 products to the US under Agoa, from textiles to agricultural goods. Supporters say the program has created jobs, boosted industries, and anchored economies in global trade. Its guiding philosophy — “trade, not aid” — has shaped US-Africa relations for a generation.
But the future of Agoa is now tangled in Washington’s politics. The Trump administration has already imposed new tariffs on Kenyan apparel, and African leaders are pushing hard for at least a five-year renewal. At the UN General Assembly last week, both Kenya’s President William Ruto and South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa warned of serious consequences if it lapses.
Analysts say the moment should also push African nations to rethink their trade strategy. “Africa needs to be clear about what it wants and what it can offer in exchange for access,” argues trade policy expert Teniola Tayo. She adds that deepening trade within Africa through the continental free-trade area could reduce dependence on Washington — but that transition will take time.
For workers like Wambui, time is the one thing they don’t have. “We just need support to show our potential,” she says, stepping away from her machine for lunch. For her, the debate over Agoa isn’t about geopolitics. It’s about keeping food on the table.
