By Enyichukwu Enemanna
No fewer that 66,000 Kenyans are at the risk of losing their jobs following the US government’s decision to end the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) by the end of September.
According to the 2025 Economic Survey released by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the number of workers in companies accredited to export under the AGOA pact rose to 66,804 in 2024, an increase of 15.18 per cent compared to 58,002 in 2023.
The sharp rise in employment followed growing demand for Kenyan apparel ahead of the anticipated end of the duty- and quota-free trade arrangement.
This job growth marked a strong recovery after the sector lost over 8,200 jobs in 2023.
Employment had dropped by 12.46 per cent from 66,260 in 2022 due to declining global textile sales triggered by high inflation that reduced household spending.
Analysts say if AGOA is not renewed, it will reverse the gains made in reducing unemployment rate in Kenya.
The Kenyan government has responded swiftly by sending Trade Minister Lee Kinyanjui to Washington to fight for an extension. The paucity of time however puts the deal in uncertainty.
In the meantime, a mitigation package, which a Kenya–US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) offers is vital to mitigate tariff shocks, protect factories, and preserve jobs until a long-term solution is sealed.
Apart from textiles, Kenya’s future lies in diversification leveraging agricultural exports like nuts and horticulture, which are value-added goods in the US, the world’s largest consumer market.
Further extension of the deal now depends on approval by the US Congress, which is currently controlled by President Donald Trump’s Republican Party.
His administration’s push for reciprocal trade deals has created anxiety among countries that benefit from AGOA.
