The Sea Empowerment & Research Center, SEREC, has warned that the United States’ decision to impose a 12.5 per cent tariff on Nigerian exports could undermine the country’s non-oil export drive, weaken foreign exchange earnings and further expose the fragility of the nation’s economy if urgent countermeasures are not adopted. In a policy analysis titled, “The U.S. 12.5per cent Tariff on Nigerian Exports: Implications for Nigeria’s External Trade and Fragile Economy”, the research centre said the tariff increase, which replaces an earlier temporary 10 per cent regime, would erode the competitiveness of Nigerian goods in the American market.

On July 24, 2026, the United States government announced a 12

Nigerian businesses fault the new US tariff on exports, urging urgent government action to address regulatory gaps and seek a review of the measure.