US Imposes 12.5% Tariff on Nigerian Imports Over Forced Labour Concerns

The United States has imposed a 12.5 per cent tariff on imports from Nigeria as part of a new trade action targeting countries Washington says have failed to effectively prevent the entry of goods produced through forced labour.

The measure affects imports from 60 economies identified by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) as failing to “impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour.”

The tariff announcement was contained in a statement published on the USTR website on Thursday, with Nigeria among the countries placed under the higher 12.5 per cent rate.

Some countries, including India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico and the United Kingdom, will face a lower 10 per cent tariff after adopting or committing to implement measures restricting forced labour-linked imports.

The latest action follows investigations launched by the USTR in May 2026 into 60 major trading partners under Section 301 of the Trade Act.

According to the agency, the investigation involved more than 1,600 written submissions, public hearings with over 100 witnesses and consultations with more than 45 governments.

The USTR said economies that had already introduced, or committed to introducing, forced labour import bans would attract a 10 per cent tariff, while other countries covered by the investigation would face a 12.5 per cent duty.

A Federal Register notice specifically listed Nigeria among countries subject to the 12.5 per cent tariff, except for products covered under approved exemptions.

“Based on the findings in the investigation of Nigeria, considering the public comments, testimony, and the advice of the Section 301 Committee, 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 document stated.

The USTR said the tariffs were intended to pressure affected countries to address policies and practices linked to forced labour and improve compliance with international trade standards.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said the move was necessary because previous diplomatic efforts had failed to eliminate forced labour from 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 tariff decision follows President Donald Trump’s invocation of Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974 to introduce a temporary universal tariff framework after the US Supreme Court blocked his administration’s broader tariff plan under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

The USTR said some products would be exempt from the new duties, including essential raw materials, goods that could trigger domestic shortages, products unavailable from alternative sources and selected imports from countries that have taken steps to prohibit forced labour-linked goods.

Additional exemptions may also apply where the tariffs are considered unlikely to address the trade practices under investigation.