Nigeria is among 60 countries affected by a fresh round of tariffs introduced by the United States, as President Donald Trump’s administration rolled out new import duties aimed at countries it says have failed to adequately enforce bans on forced labour.
The new tariffs, which took effect on Friday, range between 10% and 12.5%, replacing a temporary global duty introduced earlier this year. Major trading partners including China, India, Japan and members of the European Union are also impacted by the policy.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer defended the move, saying the United States has enforced restrictions on imports linked to forced labour for decades and expects its trading partners to uphold similar standards.
According to Greer, the countries affected account for the majority of US trade.
The latest measures come after the US Supreme Court struck down several of Trump’s earlier tariffs in February, ruling that they exceeded presidential authority. In response, the administration adopted a different legal pathway to restore a baseline 10% tariff for 150 days, which expired on Friday.
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The new duties, first proposed in June following a lengthy investigation, are expected to withstand legal scrutiny more effectively than previous tariff actions.
Countries that have either implemented forced labour import bans or pledged to do so, including Canada, the United Kingdom, India and the European Union, were assigned the lower 10% tariff.
Meanwhile, China, Nigeria, Japan, South Korea and dozens of other countries were placed under the higher 12.5% tariff category. However, trade agreements previously negotiated with the United States provided some relief for the European Union, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea and Switzerland by capping their overall tariff exposure.
The announcement drew immediate criticism from several governments.
Japan expressed regret over the decision, while Australia’s Trade Minister described the tariffs as unjustified. China reiterated its opposition to unilateral tariff measures, warning that trade wars serve no country’s interests.
The European Union welcomed the fact that its tariff treatment aligns with commitments reached under its recent trade agreement with Washington.
Several products will remain exempt from the new tariffs, including goods already subject to sector-specific duties such as steel and aluminium, as well as certain energy products, fertilisers and items covered under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement.
The Trump administration is also investigating 16 economies over alleged excess industrial production, a move that could lead to additional tariffs in the future.
Trade experts say the strategy enables Washington to maintain pressure on its trading partners while encouraging compliance with existing trade agreements.
Greta Peisch, a former general counsel at the Office of the US Trade Representative, said the combination of baseline tariffs and the possibility of future duties gives the United States greater leverage during trade negotiations.
She added that the administration’s reliance on detailed investigations is intended to strengthen the legal foundation of the tariffs against potential court challenges.
Josh Lipsky of the Atlantic Council said the new policy signals a more protectionist US economy while also boosting government revenue.
Former US trade official Ryan Majerus noted that Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, under which the latest tariffs were imposed, gives US authorities considerable flexibility to modify duties as circumstances change.
The announcement follows the recent implementation of a 25% tariff on selected Brazilian imports over alleged unfair trade practices. It also comes days after Trump approved new 50% tariffs on several Canadian products, citing what his administration described as discriminatory treatment of American alcohol, automobile and dairy exports.
Countries and Tariff Rates
10% Tariff
Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, European Union (subject to cap), and Taiwan (subject to cap).
12.5% Tariff
Japan (subject to cap), South Korea (subject to cap), Switzerland (subject to cap), Algeria, Angola, Australia, The Bahamas, Bahrain, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Guyana, Hong Kong, Iraq, Israel, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Libya, Morocco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela and Vietnam.
