…South Africa, Algeria, Libya Hit with 30%
In a sweeping trade move that reasserts his “America First” doctrine, U.S. President Donald Trump has approved a tariff hike on goods from Nigeria, raising the rate from 14% to 15%, effective August 7, 2025.
According to Bsgistnews, we gathered that the tariff adjustments were part of a larger recalibration of U.S. global trade policy aimed at correcting what the Trump administration describes as “imbalanced and unfair trade relationships.”
Speaking on CNN, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer defended the administration’s stance, saying the policy targets countries that have failed to offer reciprocity in trade and strategic alignment.
“We’re not going to let countries benefit from one-sided access to our market while turning a blind eye to our strategic concerns. This is about fairness, reciprocity, and defending American jobs,” Lighthizer emphasized.
Africa Faces a Trade Shake-Up
Nigeria isn’t the only African country affected. A host of others; Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, DRC, Equatorial Guinea, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe also saw tariff adjustments to 15%.
The harshest hits, however, came to South Africa, Algeria, and Libya, each slapped with a 30% tariff, signaling heightened tensions or disapproval of their current diplomatic and economic positioning in relation to the United States.
Interestingly, while some nations saw hikes, others experienced significant tariff reductions. Guyana’s rate dropped from 38% to 15%, and Madagascar’s from 47% to 15%, showing that U.S. trade relations remain flexible based on perceived cooperation or alignment.
“Strategic Interest” as a Trade Compass
The revised tariff map is the clearest indicator yet that the Trump administration is aligning trade policy with national security and foreign policy objectives.
Nations considered “non-cooperative” or “antagonistic” toward U.S. strategic goals saw the steepest tariffs. Syria leads that group with a 41% rate, followed by Laos, Myanmar (40%), Switzerland (39%), Iraq and Serbia (35%).
Canada, a close ally but recent point of friction, saw tariffs spike from 25% to 35%. While Canada is protected under USMCA, Trump’s executive order targets goods not certified under that agreement. The White House cited Canada’s “continued inaction on fentanyl”, retaliatory trade behavior, and its recent diplomatic stance on Palestine as reasons for the penalty.
Winners and Delayed Actions
In contrast, Mexico received a 90-day pause on any new hikes, with U.S. officials describing trade dialogues as “very constructive.” Similarly, in Southeast Asia, nations like Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand saw their tariffs reduced to 19-20% following recent ceasefire arrangements or trade negotiations.
The China Dilemma
Meanwhile, U.S.-China trade talks remain at a stalemate, despite a recent two-day negotiation in Sweden. Both powers maintain rigid stances, with insiders pointing to a possible direct meeting between Trump and President Xi Jinping as a potential breakthrough moment in the ongoing trade war.
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