The United States government has initiated a formal trade investigation into Nigeria and 59 other economies, including China, India and the EU, over alleged failures to ban the importation of goods produced with forced labour, with public hearings scheduled for April 28 in Washington.
The United States government has launched a trade investigation into Nigeria and 59 other countries over their alleged failure to prohibit the importation of goods produced with forced labour. The probe, initiated on March 12, 2026, was announced by the Office of the United States Trade Representative under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974, which examines whether the trade practices of affected economies are “unreasonable or discriminatory” and burden American commerce.
Nigeria joins a broad list of economies under scrutiny, including China, India, Brazil, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union. The USTR argued that while many countries ban forced labour domestically, weak import controls allow companies to continue sourcing exploitatively produced goods. The agency noted that “for almost 100 years, US law has prohibited the importation of goods mined, produced, or manufactured in whole or in part with forced labour.”
The USTR cited International Labour Organisation estimates that roughly 28 million people were trapped in forced labour globally as of 2021, with profits from such practices reaching about $63.9bn annually by 2024. Stakeholders must submit written comments by April 15, 2026. If the probe confirms unfair trade practices, the US could impose additional duties or import restrictions on goods from affected economies, including Nigeria.
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