For African Apparel exporters, the immediate concern now is unpredictability rather than just tariffs. Between April 2025 and February 2026, African manufacturers faced a series of policy changes including Trump’s “Liberation Day” reciprocal tariffs, the expiration of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) in September 2025 and its later extension by Congress through December of 2026.
In addition, the Supreme Court cancelled the legal basis for the IEEPA tariffs, which was followed by a new 10% import surcharge under Section 122 (1974 Trade Act) from February 24 to July 24, 2026. Since clothing manufacturing, fabric sourcing and shipping calendars are planned months in advance, these constant tariff changes affect the overall costs dramatically. This is forcing buyers to move their orders elsewhere.
