The United States has imposed a 12.5 per cent tariff on goods imported from Nigeria, citing concerns over the country’s failure to effectively prevent the entry of products linked to forced labour.
The tariff is part of a wider trade action affecting 60 economies that the United States says have not “imposed and effectively enforced a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour.”
The measure was announced by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) on Thursday following investigations launched in May 2026 under Section 301 of the Trade Act.
According to the USTR, the investigation involved more than 1,600 written submissions, public hearings with over 100 witnesses, and consultations with more than 45 governments.
Nigeria falls under the category of countries attracting the higher 12.5 per cent tariff rate. Some countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and the United Kingdom, will face a lower 10 per cent rate after introducing or committing to introduce measures banning imports associated with forced labour.
A Federal Register notice from the USTR stated that Nigerian products would attract the 12.5 per cent tariff, except for items covered by specific exemptions.
“Based on the findings in the investigation of Nigeria, considering the public comments, testimony, and the advice of the Section 301 Committee, as well as the advice of advisory committees, and in accordance with the specific direction of the President, the Trade Representative has determined to impose 12.5 percent tariffs on products of Nigeria, except as provided in Annex I and Annex II, Part A, of this Notice,” the statement said.
The USTR said the tariff level was determined to encourage Nigeria and other affected countries to address trade practices linked to forced labour.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the policy was designed to push trading partners to strengthen their restrictions on forced labour-related imports.
“President Trump recognises that decades of moral suasion have not eradicated forced labour from global supply chains,” Greer said.
“The United States has had a forced labour import ban for nearly a century. It’s well past time for our trading partners to do the same.”
The tariffs follow President Donald Trump’s decision to use Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to introduce a temporary universal tariff on imports after the US Supreme Court blocked his administration’s broader tariff plan under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
The USTR said some products would be excluded from the tariff measures, including raw materials that could lead to domestic shortages, goods that could disrupt the US economy, products not available in sufficient quantities from US or alternative suppliers, and selected items from countries that have adopted or pledged to adopt forced labour import bans.
Further exemptions may also apply where the US government determines that tariffs would not effectively address the practices under investigation.
