🇺🇸🇨🇮 Côte d’Ivoire: U.S. Tariffs Spark Concern Among Local Businesses

Côte d’Ivoire is set to face a 21% tariff hike on its exports to the United States, following a new trade measure announced by former U.S. President Donald Trump. This decision is said to be reciprocal, as Abidjan currently imposes 41% duties on American imports. However, the new tariffs are causing concern among Ivorian businesses.

The newly imposed U.S. customs duties have sparked anxiety in Côte d’Ivoire, where exported products will now face a 21% tax. Axel Emmanuel Gbaou, a local chocolate artisan, runs a small company that produces 10,000 chocolate bars monthly, mostly sold online to American customers.

So far, he remains calm, explaining that he targets an affluent market.
"The people who buy our chocolate don't care about money or taxes—they don't look at the price," he said reassuringly.

“That’s money African entrepreneurs will lose”

But not everyone is as optimistic. Moulaye Tabouré, CEO of Anka—a platform that helps African entrepreneurs sell their goods (mainly crafts and clothing) globally—believes sales will inevitably drop.

"A 21% tariff is very close to what Europe did with its 20% VAT. When that was introduced, our volumes first dropped by 30%. The long-term impact was even worse: over the following months and years, our sales to Europe, with the same sellers, were cut in half," he explained.

He added:
"Today, we export goods worth €5 to €7 million to the U.S., and with this measure, that figure could be halved. That’s money African entrepreneurs will lose—and it will affect their employees and entire business models," he warned.

The announcement of this new tariff is still fresh, and one major question remains: What about AGOA?
The African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) previously allowed many Ivorian products—like cashew nuts and cocoa beans—to be sold in the U.S. without additional charges. Whether this policy will still apply under the new tariffs remains uncertain.