The United States has opened a major trade investigation into Nigeria and 59 other economies over concerns that their trade systems may allow the importation of goods produced with forced labour.
The probe was announced by the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in a notice signed by its General Counsel, Jennifer Thornton, stating that the investigation formally began on March 12, 2026.
According to the notice, the review is being conducted under the Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to determine whether the policies or practices of the affected economies are unreasonable, discriminatory, or place a burden on American commerce.
The USTR said the probe would examine whether countries have failed to enact or enforce measures preventing the importation of goods produced through forced labour.
Nigeria appears on the list alongside major global economies including China, India, Brazil, South Africa, United Kingdom, Canada and the European Union.
The USTR said the investigation aims to determine whether gaps in import restrictions across these markets create an uneven global trading environment that disadvantages American companies.
While many countries outlaw forced labour domestically, the agency noted that weak monitoring of imported goods can allow products made under exploitative conditions to enter international supply chains.
It warned that forced labour gives producers an artificial cost advantage, allowing them to sell goods more cheaply and distort fair competition in global markets.
Data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) shows that about 28 million people were trapped in forced labour worldwide in 2021, representing roughly 3.5 out of every 1,000 people.
The organisation also reported that the figure increased by 2.7 million between 2016 and 2021, with global profits from forced labour in the private economy estimated at about $63.9 billion annually as of 2024.
Public hearings on the investigation will begin on April 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C., with stakeholders required to submit comments by April 15.