By Ajong Mbapndah L
The Corporate Council on Africa (CCA) has thrown its full weight behind bipartisan efforts in Congress to extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), calling the move critical to sustaining U.S. jobs, deepening commercial ties with Africa, and unlocking the next phase of transatlantic trade growth.
In a letter addressed to House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, CCA President and CEO Florizelle B. Liser formally endorsed the AGOA Extension Act, introduced on December 8, which would extend the landmark trade preference program through December 31, 2028.
“As the largest U.S.-based trade association exclusively focused on promoting U.S.–Africa trade and investment ties for more than three decades, CCA and many of its members have been strong supporters of AGOA since its inception in 2000,” Liser wrote.
Since its launch nearly 25 years ago, AGOA has become a central pillar of U.S.–Africa economic relations. According to CCA, the program delivers nearly $1 billion annually in benefits to American consumers, while helping U.S. firms remain competitive against global rivals. Just as significantly, AGOA is credited with supporting more than 300,000 U.S. jobs and generating an estimated $1.8 billion in annual salaries across the American economy.
CCA argues that extending AGOA is not simply about preserving past gains, but about positioning the United States for a rapidly changing African economic landscape. With Africa’s population projected to double by 2050 and consumption markets expanding, the continent is increasingly central to global supply chains and investment flows.
Over the years, CCA has played a hands-on role in translating AGOA’s promise into tangible commercial outcomes, notably through its AGOA Private Sector Forum, which brings together U.S. and African businesses to catalyze real-world trade and investment deals.
Looking ahead, CCA believes AGOA’s impact could grow significantly as it aligns with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)—the world’s largest free trade agreement by number of participating countries. AfCFTA is steadily reshaping Africa’s trade architecture by fostering regional and continental value chains, making it easier for U.S. companies to engage African partners at scale.
“The extension of AGOA proposed in your bill would create a solid base on which to work with America’s African partners to build on the tools present under AGOA and AfCFTA,” Liser noted, “strengthen our trade and investment partnership with Africa for the coming decade to our mutual benefit.”
CCA also framed the extension as a signal of long-term U.S. commitment at a time when Africa’s economic partnerships are becoming increasingly competitive, with China, the European Union, and Gulf states expanding their footprint across the continent.
By locking in predictability through 2028, AGOA’s extension would provide the certainty investors and manufacturers on both sides of the Atlantic need to plan, expand, and integrate supply chains—particularly in sectors such as apparel, agriculture, automotive components, and light manufacturing.
CCA concluded by applauding Chairman Smith’s leadership and reaffirming its readiness to work closely with Congress to secure early passage of the bill, positioning AGOA as a cornerstone of a renewed, forward-looking U.S.–Africa economic partnership.
