Nigeria, 59 Others Hit as Trump Imposes 12.5% Tariffs Over Alleged Forced Labour Imports
Nigeria is among 60 trading partners affected by a new round of tariffs imposed by United States President Donald Trump over allegations that the countries failed to adequately prevent the importation of goods produced with forced labour.
The new tariffs, which range between 10 and 12.5 per cent, took effect on Thursday and apply to goods from countries that account for about 99.4 per cent of US imports.
According to the US administration, the affected countries did not do enough to curb the entry of products allegedly made with forced labour into global supply chains.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the latest measures were introduced on the directive of President Trump.
“Today’s action will begin to correct what is both a human rights abuse and a distortive trade practice to improve the welfare of workers everywhere,” Greer said in a statement.
The tariff will apply to most goods imported from Nigeria and the other affected countries, with exemptions for certain raw materials considered critical to domestic supply, products whose absence could disrupt the US economy, and items that cannot be produced in sufficient quantities within the United States or sourced elsewhere.
The latest action marks another escalation in the global trade measures introduced since Trump’s return to the White House. In April, his administration announced sweeping tariffs on imports from several countries, including a 14 per cent levy on Nigerian goods. That was followed by a 15 per cent import tariff imposed on Nigeria and several other African countries under an executive order issued in August.
Several countries affected by the latest tariffs have criticised the move. Australia and Brazil described the measures as unjustified and said they would seek their removal, while Norway said there was “no basis” for the tariffs.
The European Union also questioned Washington’s justification for the policy, saying the rationale lacked merit, while China described the move as “political manipulation.”
The new tariffs are expected to further heighten global trade tensions as affected countries consider their next line of action.