Denim Industry in Kenya Urges Rollover of AGOA

May 30, 2025

The denim industry in Kenya, which employs a large number of women, is in doldrums. Every year, 8 million jeans are produced in Nairobi for brands like Levi’s and Wrangler. This is a vital industry employing 66,000 people, most of them women, but it may collapse by September.

(2 Minutes Read)

Every year, 8 million jeans are produced in Nairobi for brands like Levi’s and Wrangler. This is a vital industry employing 66,000 people, most of them women, but it may collapse by September.

The denim industry in Kenya, which employs a large number of women, is in doldrums. Every year, 8 million jeans are produced in Nairobi for brands like Levi’s and Wrangler. This is a vital industry employing 66,000 people, most of them women, but it may collapse by September.

The potential expiration of the AGOA trade agreement, which allows Kenyan goods to enter the U.S. duty-free, is causing worries for the local denim industry. Without this advantage, many companies in free zones, such as United Aryan, may not survive, warns its chairman, Pankaj Bedi. The collapse of Ethiopia’s textile industry after losing AGOA in 2022 serves as a stark warning.

Economists urge Kenya to act proactively by negotiating a bilateral deal with the U.S. or diversifying markets, especially within Africa, through AfCFTA. Experts feel that Kenya must offer strategic value beyond textiles, especially as the upcoming negotiations promise to be difficult.