South African and Rwandan exporters could lose AGOA access to the US from 1 January 2027

Goods from South Africa and Rwanda that enter the US under AGOA may lose that route from 1 January 2027. This has not happened yet. It is a stated intention, with a future date.

AGOA is the African Growth and Opportunity Act, a US trade preference program for sub-Saharan African countries. On 2 November 2026, the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) said President Trump had told Congress and both governments of his intent.

USTR said it led the yearly review of which countries qualify. It said the President found both governments "are engaging in practices that are inconsistent with AGOA's eligibility criteria".

For Rwanda, the administration listed concerns including trade and investment barriers, rule of law, worker rights and human rights. For South Africa, it listed barriers to US trade and investment, and corruption. For both, it cited threats to US national security and foreign policy interests. These are the administration's findings.

This matters for exporters in South Africa and Rwanda who use AGOA, and for the US importers who buy from them.

USTR does not say which products are affected or what duty would apply instead. It says the administration "is working to ensure our African partners take the necessary steps to meet the eligibility criteria".

What to check

• Do your US imports from South Africa or Rwanda enter under AGOA today?
• What would your landed cost be without the preference?
• Watch for the formal notice and any US Customs guidance before 1 January.