African manufacturers are intensifying efforts to secure a temporary extension of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), a pivotal trade initiative set to expire at the end of September. Pankaj Bedi, chairman of United Aryan, a Kenyan apparel company supplying major U.S. retailers like Target and Walmart, revealed that delegations from Kenya and four other AGOA beneficiary nations recently visited Washington to lobby for a one- to two-year extension. The program, established in 2000 under President Bill Clinton, grants duty-free access to the U.S. market for thousands of African products, fostering economic development and job creation across sectors such as textiles, automotive, and mining. However, the aggressive tariff policies of former President Donald Trump have cast uncertainty over its renewal. Despite bipartisan support, last year’s attempt to extend AGOA for 16 years failed to reach a Congressional vote. Bedi emphasized that without an extension, manufacturers face steep tariff hikes, potentially leading to mass layoffs and a shift in U.S. reliance back to Asian manufacturers, particularly China. The White House has yet to publicly endorse an extension, leaving the future of AGOA in limbo.