The United States has imposed a 12.5 per cent tariff on imports from Nigeria as part of a sweeping new global trade measure targeting 60 economies over allegations regarding forced labour import standards.
The measures, announced on Thursday by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, penalize trading partners that Washington claims have failed to prohibit or effectively enforce bans on goods produced with forced labour.
Tiered Rates: 12.5% vs 10%
The USTR finalized the duties following an investigation launched in May 2026 into 60 major U.S. trading partners, incorporating over 1,600 written submissions and public hearings involving more than 100 witnesses:
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Higher Rate (12.5%): Applied to Nigeria, South Africa, China, Brazil, Egypt, and dozens of other nations deemed to lack comprehensive, enforceable prohibitions against importing forced-labour products.
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Lower Rate (10%): Extended to 17 economies—including the United Kingdom, Canada, India, Indonesia, and Mexico—that have either enacted or formally committed to enforce strict bans on forced-labour goods.
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ U.S. SECTION 301 TARIFF MATRIX │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ • Authority : Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 │
│ │
│ • Target Scope : 60 global economies & trading partners │
│ │
│ • Tariff on Nigeria : 12.5% duty on non-exempt imported goods │
│ │
│ • Primary Reason : Inadequate enforcement/prohibition against │
│ goods produced with forced labour. │
│ │
│ • Specific Exemptions: Raw materials (e.g., crude oil, fertilizer), │
│ critical supply-chain goods, and items with │
│ domestic U.S. shortfalls. │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
(Sources: Office of the United States Trade Representative & Federal Register Notices)
Executive & Legal Context
The decision by U.S. President Donald Trump follows the expiration of temporary universal tariffs previously introduced under Section 122 of the Trade Act.
Defending the action, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer emphasized that Washington is taking a firm stance against forced labour in global supply chains:
“President Trump recognises that decades of moral suasion have not eradicated forced labour from global supply chains. The United States has had a forced labor import ban for nearly a century… It’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same.” — Jamieson Greer, U.S. Trade Representative
Impact on Nigerian Exporters & Exemptions
While the tariffs present a potential obstacle for non-oil exports into the U.S. market, federal register directives indicate that certain essential commodities—including crude oil, gas, and fertilizers—remain exempt to prevent domestic supply chain disruptions in the United States.
Nevertheless, Nigerian agricultural and manufactured goods exported to the U.S. under existing trade arrangements could face higher landed costs unless federal trade authorities negotiate reciprocal compliance measures regarding forced-labour supply chains.
Ayodele Quadri
Correspondent
