US President Donald Trump has announced that exports from Nigeria to the United States will now be subject to a 14% tariff.
The decision, revealed during a ‘Make America Wealthy Again’ event in the Rose Garden on Wednesday, is part of a broader strategy to address perceived unfair trade practices and rebalance global trade.
This new tariff marks a significant shift in US-Nigeria trade relations, with the US government citing a long-standing trade imbalance. According to the Trump administration, Nigeria imposes a 27% tariff on US exports, a disparity that the US argues has been detrimental to American businesses and consumers.
In response, the US has introduced a 14% tariff on Nigerian exports to counter what it views as an unfair trade arrangement.
During his speech, Trump framed the policy as part of a broader initiative to protect American industries and enforce “fair” trade rules.
“This is one of the most important days in American history,” Trump declared. “We will supercharge our domestic industrial base. We will pry open foreign markets and break down foreign trade barriers, and ultimately, more production at home will mean stronger competition and lower prices for consumers. This will be, indeed, the golden age of Americans coming back. We’re going to come back very strongly.”
In addition to the 14% tariff on Nigerian exports, Trump also introduced a broader trade policy that imposes a baseline 10% tariff on all US imports.
The new tariffs, which take effect immediately, apply to more than 50 countries, including major trade partners such as China, the European Union, India, and Japan, as well as developing economies across Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Several African nations will also be affected by the policy, with tariffs including Algeria (30%), Lesotho (50%), Mauritius (40%), Kenya (10%), Namibia (21%), and Ethiopia and Ghana (10% each). South Africa was assigned a reciprocal tariff of 30%.
The new policy marks a significant shift in global trade and economic policy, raising concerns about potential economic disruptions and a global trade war.
