United States President Donald Trump announced a broad tariff regime late Wednesday that imposes a baseline 10% duty on all U.S. imports while introducing country-specific reciprocal tariffs targeting nations with higher duties on American goods, in what many have called a dramatic upheaval of global trade policies.
Nigeria is one of the nations impacted; the Trump administration claimed that Nigeria levies a 27% duty on American imports, so Nigerian exports to the United States will now be subject to a 14% tariff.
The announcement, which was made at a White House event called “Liberation Day,” represents a significant break from the free-trade ideals that have guided international trade ever since World War II.
Trump presented the policy as the start of a new era of “fair trade,” promising to strengthen America’s industrial base and force international markets to accept American goods.
“This is one of the most important days in American history,” he declared.
“We will supercharge our domestic industrial base, we will pry open foreign markets, and break down foreign trade barriers.”
The policy, effective immediately, extends to over 50 countries,
comprising emerging economies in Africa, Asia, and Latin America as well as economic giants like China, the European Union, India, and Japan.
Nigeria is one of the countries facing tariff adjustments, despite its dwindling trade with the United States.
According to trade data from Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the country’s total trade with the United States was N31.1 trillion between 2015 and 2024. Nigerian imports from the United States totaled N16.4 trillion, or 8.7% of its total international trade.
Nigeria’s place in the bilateral trade equation has been weakened, though, as U.S. demand for Nigerian exports—particularly crude oil—has been steadily declining.
Nigeria’s inclusion on the U.S. retaliation list demonstrates Washington’s expansive approach to readjusting international trade relations, even though it is not one of the most protectionist economies.
Other African countries are also impacted, including Ethiopia, Ghana, and Mauritius, the latter of which is subject to one of the most severe tariff changes.
Mauritius will now impose a 40% reciprocal duty on its exports, in addition to its current 80% tariff on U.S. goods.
Similar policies have been implemented throughout the continent by the Trump administration, indicating a change that may jeopardize the preferential trade agreements that many African countries have traditionally benefited from under programs like the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).
Trump’s new trade strategy revolves around what his administration calls “reciprocal tariffs,” a policy under which the U.S. imposes duties on imports equivalent to half the tariff rates those countries apply to American exports.
During his “Make America Wealthy Again” address, Trump displayed a chart labelling several nations as “worst offenders,” reinforcing his administration’s commitment to rebalancing trade relations.
This change poses a strategic and financial challenge for African economies that rely significantly on U.S. market access.
Without renegotiating tariff structures or establishing new trade agreements, these nations risk losing a vital export destination or facing higher costs that could stifle trade volumes.
The tariffs are a clear reminder to Nigeria, which has long aimed to diversify its economy beyond crude oil, of the changing nature of international trade and the urgent need for an active trade policy to negotiate this new economic environment.
