The United States has launched a formal trade investigation into Nigeria and 59 other economies for failing to prohibit the importation of goods produced with forced labour.

The probe was initiated on March 12, 2026, by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

It will assess whether the trade practices of these economies are “unreasonable or discriminatory” and whether they burden or restrict American commerce.

Nigeria appears on the list alongside major economies such as China, India, Brazil, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union.

The USTR argues that countries without enforced bans on forced-labour goods provide an unfair cost advantage to producers using such labour, enabling them to undercut American businesses globally.

“In markets without forced labour import prohibitions, US exports are required to compete with products produced wholly or in part with forced labour,” the notice said.

The International Labour Organisation estimated in 2021 that about 28 million people were trapped in forced labour worldwide, an increase of roughly 2.7 million since 2016.

Profits from forced labour in the private economy reached approximately $63.9 billion annually in 2024, according to the ILO.

Goods commonly associated with forced labour include agricultural commodities, textiles, minerals, fish products, and palm oil.

The investigation includes consultations with the governments of all listed economies and public hearings at the US International Trade Commission in Washington, starting on April 28, 2026.

Businesses, labour groups, and other stakeholders must submit written comments by April 15, 2026, via the USTR’s online portal.

If unfair practices are found, the United States could impose additional tariffs or import restrictions on goods from the affected countries.

This probe increases trade pressures on Nigeria, where merchandise trade surplus dropped sharply to ₦1.71 trillion in the fourth quarter of 2025 from ₦3.42 trillion in the same period the previous year, per the National Bureau of Statistics.

The decline stemmed mainly from reduced crude oil exports, which totalled ₦9.70 trillion—still over half of total exports but lower than prior quarters.

Imports rose to ₦17.25 trillion in Q4 2025 from ₦16.59 trillion a year earlier.