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<p>By MuttaqaYusha’u</p>
<p>myushau@gmail.com.</p><div class="MGeDbcTD" style="clear:both;float:left;width:100%;margin:0 0 20px 0;"><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

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<p>Since his re-election as President of the United States, Donald Trump has vowed to raise trade tariffs, particularly on Chinese imports. However, his protectionist trade agenda extends beyond China, affecting several countries, including those in Africa, even though Africa trades relatively less with the U.S. compared to other regions of the world.Trump’s trade policies are rooted in protectionism — an approach aimed at shielding American products from foreign competition. By doing so, the administration seeks to boost domestic employment, increase production, and promote shared prosperity for Americans.</p>
<p>However, the impact of these policies will vary across countries, depending on the extent of their reliance on the American market. The key question is: Can Trump&#8217;s trade policies significantly affect the African economy?According to the United States Census Bureau, Africa accounts for approximately 1.5% of total U.S. trade — a relatively small share. In 2023, African exports to the U.S. were valued at around $32 billion, with key sectors including crude oil, textiles and apparel, agricultural products, automobiles, and precious metals. Under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), many African countries have enjoyed duty-free access to the U.S. market, especially for textiles and agricultural goods.For instance, Lesotho, a small country in southern Africa, is highly dependent on textile exports to the U.S.</p>
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<p>The textile industry in Lesotho employs around 12,000 workers, representing 42% of the total formal employment in the manufacturing sector. Similarly, South Africa exports automobiles, agricultural products, and minerals to the U.S., with the auto industry alone contributing significantly to employment and foreign exchange earnings. A 10% tariff on African exports would likely slow down these sectors, reduce export earnings, and contribute to rising unemployment. Many companies would be forced to lay off workers, deepening social and economic challenges.Moreover, tariffs would make African goods less competitive in the U.S. market, potentially eroding the gains made under trade agreements like AGOA. For example, textile exports from Africa under AGOA account for about $1.3 billion annually, providing jobs to tens of thousands of workers, particularly in countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Lesotho. The imposition of tariffs on AGOA-eligible goods would undermine the core objectives of the agreement, which aims to promote economic growth through trade. It would also discourage investment in sectors that had been built around preferential access to the U.S. market, ultimately threatening job creation and industrialization efforts across the continent.One key lesson from these developments is the urgent need for Africa to deepen intra-African trade as a strategy for economic resilience. The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launched in 2021, provides a major opportunity for African countries to integrate their economies and trade more among themselves. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), AfCFTA has the potential to boost intra-African trade by 52% by 2025, creating a larger market for African producers and reducing dependency on external markets.Recently, the Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, stressed that the new U.S. tariffs, especially those affecting sectors like textiles in Lesotho, offer a wake-up call. She emphasized that African countries must seize this opportunity to strengthen their own markets, foster regional value chains, and build resilience against external shocks.In conclusion, while Africa’s direct exposure to Trump&#8217;s trade policies may seem limited, the localized impacts on sectors like textiles, agriculture, and automobiles could be significant. These changes reinforce the importance of regional economic integration and the need for African countries to diversify their trading partners and domestic markets. Africa must act swiftly to turn challenges into opportunities and chart a more self-reliant and sustainable economic future.</p>
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