The United States has imposed a 10 percent reciprocal tariff on Kenya as part of President Donald Trump’s latest series of trade tariffs targeting all imports to America. Announced on Wednesday, the move is part of a broader strategy affecting imports from 185 countries.
President Trump stated that he would enforce a “10 per cent baseline tariff on all U.S. imports from 185 countries” while implementing higher duties on some of America’s top trading partners. According to the White House, Kenya charges the U.S. a 10 percent tariff, citing “currency manipulation and trade barriers.” As a result, the reciprocal tariff is expected to affect Kenya’s trade with the U.S., which totaled $1.5 billion in 2024.
Kenya exported goods worth $737.3 million (Ksh.95.3 billion) to the U.S. in 2024, a 17.5 percent decline ($156.7 million) from 2023, as reported by the United States Trade Representative’s office. Most of the exports included apparel, coffee, and tea. In contrast, Kenya imported goods worth $782.5 million (Ksh.101 billion) from the U.S., marking a 61.4 percent increase ($297.8 million) from the previous year.
Kenya has benefited from tariff exemptions under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) since May 2000, allowing duty-free access to the U.S. market. However, this preferential status is set to expire in September.
Other African nations facing the 10 percent base tariff include Rwanda, Burundi, Eritrea, South Sudan, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Uganda. Some countries received even higher tariffs, such as Nigeria (14%), Malawi (17%), Zimbabwe (18%), DRC (11%), Zambia (17%), and Mozambique (16%).
Lesotho faces the highest tariff at 50 percent, as the White House reported that the southern African nation imposes a 99 percent tariff on U.S. imports. Other significantly affected countries include Mauritius (40%), Botswana (37%), Algeria (30%), and Tunisia (28%).
The Trump administration announced that the new tariffs would take effect on April 9.