Ghana has welcomed a major development in its trade relations with the United States after the US House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) for three more years.

The extension, approved by a margin of 340‑to‑54, now heads to the Senate for final endorsement before being sent to the President for signature.

AGOA, first enacted in 2000, allows eligible sub‑Saharan African countries preferential, duty‑free access to the US market, creating opportunities for local businesses to grow exports and create jobs. The programme was allowed to lapse at the end of September 2025, after years of debate over its future in Congress.

After a bilateral meeting with the acting US Ambassador to Ghana, Rolf Olson and his team in Accra, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, said the extension was “great news” for Ghana, noting its potential to boost local garment production and create jobs.

“AGOA provides duty-free access to the U.S. market for eligible Sub‑Saharan countries and products. We expect a final endorsement by the Senate shortly. This positive development will boost local garment production and create more jobs,” he said.

The meeting also reviewed progress made in 2025, with both sides acknowledging improved trade and economic cooperation. Ghana welcomed the removal of a 15 per cent tariff imposed under the Trump administration on a wide range of unprocessed and semi-processed agricultural products from Ghana, with officials expressing satisfaction with its implementation.

AGOA was a lifeline for businesses, a source of foreign exchange, and a catalyst for industrialisation for two decades.

Ghana’s cocoa derivatives, processed fruits, apparel, and other goods found a competitive footing in the United States largely because of the preferential access AGOA guaranteed. However, the agreement expired on September 30, 2025.

The extension is expected to provide much‑needed certainty for Ghanaian exporters and help stabilise trade flows after the uncertainty caused by the programme’s expiry in late 2025.