US Slams 12.5% Tariff on Nigerian Imports over Forced‑labour Concerns

The United States has lengthened the list of trade penalties against Nigeria by imposing a 12.5 per cent tariff on most Nigerian imports over allegations linked to forced labour. The new measure is part of a wider action against 60 economies that Washington says have not effectively banned the importation of goods produced with forced labour .

According to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR), the tariffs followed a Section 301 investigation launched in March 2026 into the trade practices of major U.S. partners. The agency said the probe was aimed at determining whether those economies had failed to impose and enforce bans on goods made with forced labour, and whether that created an unfair burden on U.S. commerce .

The USTR said it received more than 1,600 written submissions, held public hearings involving over 100 witnesses and consulted more than 45 governments before announcing the tariffs.

Countries that had already adopted, or pledged to adopt, forced-labour import bans were placed on a lower 10 per cent tariff rate, while Nigeria and other countries without such measures were assigned the higher 12.5 per cent rate.

Other countries including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and the United Kingdom will face a lower 10 per cent rate after adopting or committing to implement bans on imports linked to forced labour.

A Federal Register notice cited by the USTR said Nigeria would face a 12.5 per cent tariff on its products, except for items covered by specific exemptions . The notice also said the Trade Representative considered public comments, witness testimony, the Section 301 Committee’s advice and the President’s direction before fixing the tariff rate and scope .

The USTR said the tariffs would not apply to some goods, including raw materials that could create domestic supply shortages, products unavailable in sufficient quantities in the United States, and items that could disrupt the wider economy . It added that selected goods from countries that have adopted or committed to forced-labour import bans may also be exempted .

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the action was intended to push trading partners to strengthen their own forced-labour rules. “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,” he said.

Nigeria already has laws prohibiting forced and compulsory labour, including constitutional protections and anti-trafficking legislation, but enforcement remains a key issue in international assessments .

The latest U.S. move could add pressure on Nigerian exporters, depending on how broadly the exemptions are applied and which product categories are ultimately affected.

According to the agency, it received more than 1,600 written submissions, held public hearings involving over 100 witnesses, and consulted more than 45 governments before announcing the tariffs.

The USTR said countries that have already implemented, or committed to implementing, forced labour import prohibitions would attract a 10 per cent tariff.

“10 per cent 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.”

It added that “12.5 percent is the appropriate rate of Section 301 duty for all other investigated economies.”

Specifically on Nigeria, a Federal Register notice obtained from the USTR on Friday stated that the country would be subjected to a 12.5 per cent tariff on its products, except for items listed under specified exemptions.

It read, “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 measure comes after President Donald Trump invoked Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to impose 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.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the action was aimed at encouraging trading partners to strengthen measures against forced labour.

“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 said the tariffs would not apply to certain products, including raw materials that could create domestic supply shortages, goods that could cause economy-wide disruptions, products unavailable in sufficient quantities in the United States or from alternative sources, and selected goods from countries that have adopted or pledged to implement forced labour import bans.

It added that further exemptions were granted where the tariffs were deemed unlikely to eliminate the trade practices under investigation.