Kenya is stepping up efforts to expand its footprint in African markets as the clock ticks toward the expiry of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) on September 30, 2025 — with little indication from Washington that the preferential trade deal will be renewed.
AGOA has been a major driver of Kenya’s textile and apparel exports to the United States, supporting over 66,000 direct jobs in the sector and an estimated 660,000 livelihoods when factoring in dependents and indirect employment. The looming expiry has raised concerns about job losses and a slowdown in export earnings if businesses in Export Processing Zones (EPZs) downsize.
To cushion against the potential impact, Nairobi is renewing its focus on intra-African trade by leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), COMESA, and the EAC to secure markets for its growing manufacturing base.
Kenya will host the COMESA Summit of Heads of State and Government in Nairobi from October 7-9, where boosting intra-Africa trade will top the agenda.
Speaking during the signing of the host agreement, Trade and Investments CS Lee Kinyanjui, who currently serves as vice-chair of the COMESA Bureau, underscored Kenya’s commitment to regional integration and economic growth.
“We are actively expanding our Special Economic Zones and Export Processing Zones to transform our economy from one of raw exports to one of higher-value, processed products,” Kinyanjui said.
Kenya is banking on AfCFTA’s 1.3 billion-strong population and COMESA’s 682 million consumers to create new demand for its exports. However, Kinyanjui cautioned that non-tariff barriers (NTBs) remain a significant obstacle.
“We must continue to work collectively to remove NTBs and harmonise our policies to unlock the full potential of intra-COMESA trade. This requires sustained political will and joint action by all member states,” he added.
According to the Economic Survey 2025, Kenya’s foreign exchange earnings from exports to the COMESA region dropped by 2.8 per cent to KSh 331.7 billion in 2024, down from KSh 341.1 billion in 2023. Exports to the wider African market also dipped by 2.2 per cent, signalling the need for renewed strategies to deepen trade ties on the continent.
COMESA Assistant Secretary-General Dev Haman emphasized that Africa’s integration agenda must go beyond policy statements.
“We must invest in agriculture, SMEs, and trade to create jobs, address poverty and drive economic growth. For Kenya to achieve its vision of becoming a middle-income country by 2030, it must invest, produce, and trade more,” he said.
As global trade dynamics shift and preferential access to the U.S. market comes under threat, Kenya’s pivot to African markets may prove critical in safeguarding jobs and sustaining export-led growth.
