The United States has imposed a 12.5 per cent tariff on imports from Nigeria as part of a new trade policy targeting countries that Washington says have not adopted or effectively enforced bans on the importation of goods produced through forced labour.
The measure affects imports from 60 economies that the US says have failed to prohibit goods linked to forced labour from entering their markets.
The decision was announced in a statement published on Thursday by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
Under the new tariff regime, Nigeria falls within the group of countries subject to the 12.5 per cent duty. In contrast, countries such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and the United Kingdom will face a lower 10 per cent tariff after implementing or committing to enforce restrictions on imports associated with forced labour.
The action follows investigations launched by the USTR in May 2026 under Section 301 of the Trade Act, covering 60 of America’s largest trading partners.
According to the agency, the review process included more than 1,600 written submissions, public hearings featuring over 100 witnesses, and consultations with more than 45 governments before the final decision was reached.
The USTR explained that economies which already enforce, or have formally committed to enforcing, bans on forced labour imports qualify for the reduced 10 per cent tariff.
“10 percent is the appropriate rate of Section 301 duties for investigated economies that (i) impose a forced labor import prohibition; (ii) have committed to impose and enforce such a prohibition through an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade; or (iii) have imposed a partial regime with the effect of preventing the importation of certain forced labor goods.
“These economies are: Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United Kingdom.
“10 percent or 12.5 percent, net of Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) rate, is the appropriate rate of Section 301 duties for certain products of the European Union, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Switzerland that are not otherwise exempted, as explained in greater detail in the Federal Register Notice.”
The trade agency added that “12.5 percent is the appropriate rate of Section 301 duty for all other investigated economies.”
Regarding Nigeria, a Federal Register notice released by the USTR on Friday confirmed that the country’s exports would be subject to the 12.5 per cent tariff, except for products specifically listed under designated exemptions.
It stated:
“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 Trade Representative has determined, in accordance with the specific direction of the President, that the tariff rate to be applied, and the scope of tariffs and exemptions, are appropriate to obtain the elimination of the acts, policies, and practices determined to be actionable in the investigation.”
The latest tariffs come after President Donald Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to introduce temporary universal import tariffs after the US Supreme Court blocked his administration’s broader tariff plan under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA).
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the objective of the policy is to encourage America’s trading partners to adopt stronger measures against forced labour in global supply chains.
“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 USTR clarified that several categories of products will remain exempt from the tariffs. These include raw materials whose restriction could trigger domestic supply shortages, goods capable of causing widespread economic disruption, products unavailable in sufficient quantities within the United States or from alternative suppliers, as well as selected goods originating from countries that have implemented or pledged to implement forced labour import bans.
The agency also noted that additional exemptions were granted where imposing tariffs was considered unlikely to eliminate the trade practices identified during the investigation.
