Nigeria is among 60 economies affected by the latest enforcement action announced by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
According to the USTR, Nigeria will face a 12.5% tariff on most products exported to the United States because it has not imposed and effectively enforced a ban on goods produced with forced labour.
Several other major trading partners, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and the United Kingdom, will instead face a lower 10% tariff after adopting or committing to implement import restrictions on products linked to forced labour.
The new tariff follows Section 301 investigations launched by the USTR in May 2026. The agency said it reviewed more than 1,600 written submissions, heard testimony from over 100 witnesses, and consulted with more than 45 governments before finalising the new trade measures.
A Federal Register notice released alongside the announcement confirmed that the 12.5% tariff on Nigerian imports will apply to most goods entering the United States, although certain products will be exempt under provisions listed in Annexes I and II.
The latest action also follows President Donald Trump’s decision to invoke Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to introduce temporary universal tariffs after the US Supreme Court blocked a broader tariff proposal.
Defending the policy, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the measures are intended to strengthen global efforts against forced labour.
According to Greer, decades of diplomatic efforts have failed to eliminate forced labour from international supply chains, adding that the United States has maintained a forced labour import ban for nearly a century and expects its trading partners to adopt similar standards.
The USTR stated that exemptions will apply to selected raw materials that could create domestic shortages, products likely to cause wider economic disruptions, goods that are not readily available from US or alternative suppliers, and certain imports from countries that have taken credible steps to restrict goods linked to forced labour.
The announcement comes shortly after President Trump publicly praised Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, making the tariff decision notable despite recent positive diplomatic remarks between the two leaders.
The USTR said the US tariff on Nigerian imports and similar measures imposed on other countries are designed to encourage stronger enforcement against forced labour practices in global supply chains.
According to the USTR, Nigeria will face a 12.5% tariff on most products exported to the United States because it has not imposed and effectively enforced a ban on goods produced with forced labour.
Several other major trading partners, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and the United Kingdom, will instead face a lower 10% tariff after adopting or committing to implement import restrictions on products linked to forced labour.
The new tariff follows Section 301 investigations launched by the USTR in May 2026. The agency said it reviewed more than 1,600 written submissions, heard testimony from over 100 witnesses, and consulted with more than 45 governments before finalising the new trade measures.
A Federal Register notice released alongside the announcement confirmed that the 12.5% tariff on Nigerian imports will apply to most goods entering the United States, although certain products will be exempt under provisions listed in Annexes I and II.
The latest action also follows President Donald Trump’s decision to invoke Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to introduce temporary universal tariffs after the US Supreme Court blocked a broader tariff proposal.
Defending the policy, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the measures are intended to strengthen global efforts against forced labour.
According to Greer, decades of diplomatic efforts have failed to eliminate forced labour from international supply chains, adding that the United States has maintained a forced labour import ban for nearly a century and expects its trading partners to adopt similar standards.
The USTR stated that exemptions will apply to selected raw materials that could create domestic shortages, products likely to cause wider economic disruptions, goods that are not readily available from US or alternative suppliers, and certain imports from countries that have taken credible steps to restrict goods linked to forced labour.
The announcement comes shortly after President Trump publicly praised Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, making the tariff decision notable despite recent positive diplomatic remarks between the two leaders.
The USTR said the US tariff on Nigerian imports and similar measures imposed on other countries are designed to encourage stronger enforcement against forced labour practices in global supply chains.
Additional guidance on exemptions and implementation is expected to be released in the coming weeks.
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