Ruto confirms one-year AGOA extension after talks with Trump
By Kenneth Mwenda, October 4, 2025President William Ruto has confirmed that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) has been extended for one more year, allowing Kenya to continue exporting goods duty-free to the United States.
Speaking at Nyang’ori PAG Church Centenary in Vihiga County on Saturday, October 4, the Head of State said his recent trip to the US resulted in the deal’s renewal.
“Na ndio mliona juzi, nikiwa kule Marekani. Nimeongea na serikali ya Marekani, na sasa wametupatia extension ya ile soko ya AGOA, na sasa kwa the next one year, we will continue to export into their American market,” Ruto told the congregation.
The announcement came just four days after the 25-year-old agreement expired on September 30, raising concerns among exporters and workers in the apparel and textile industry. The extension means Kenyan products will continue to enjoy tax-free access to the vast American marke
t, a development seen as vital for safeguarding jobs and sustaining export revenues.
AGOA, which was first enacted by the US Congress in 2000, provides 32 Sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access to the US.
Kenyan firms earned a record Ksh60.57 billion from textile exports to the United States under AGOA in 2024, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. This marked a 19.2 per cent increase from Ksh50.82 billion in 2023, the fastest growth since 2018.
The exports rose from 97.3 million pieces to 116 million pieces over the same period, sustaining more than 66,800 jobs. Kenya remains one of the biggest beneficiaries of the trade scheme, ranking fifth in AGOA utilisation rates behind Zambia, Lesotho, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Benin.
Ruto pursues lasting trade
Ruto said his government is not stopping at the one-year reprieve but is pushing for a more permanent arrangement that would provide stability and predictability for Kenyan exporters. He disclosed that his administration had already begun discussions with Washington about a bilateral trade agreement.
“Na vile vile tunaongea na wao ili tuakikishe ya kwamba kuna bilateral trade agreement kati ya Kenya na Marekani. Ndio tuweze kutumia soko ya Marekani kuinua kilimo ya taifa letu la Kenya na kupata soko ya mahali ambapo tunaweza kuuza kahawa yetu, chai, mambo ya horticulture, textiles na apparels na zile vitu zingine zote ambazo tunauza katika soko hiyo,” Ruto added.
The president also linked the trade efforts to his broader agenda of addressing hunger, creating jobs, and boosting agricultural productivity.
“Haya tunayoyafanya ni kwa sababu tunataka kuondoa aibu ya njaa katika taifa letu la Kenya. And we want to use agriculture to grow jobs, or to create jobs, and have products for export,” he explained.
Just two days earlier, on October 2, Ruto held a meeting with stakeholders from Kenya’s apparel industry to reassure them of the government’s commitment. He briefed them on talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where they discussed both the extension of AGOA and the establishment of a long-term trade framework.