TheCable

President Muhammadu Buhari says he did not discuss America’s low patronage of Nigeria’s crude oil with US President Donald Trump during their meeting on Monday.

He said this was because he “can’t tell the US what to do”.

The US, which used to be the largest importer of Nigeria’s crude, reduced its import on increased exploration of shale.

Trump recently attacked the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) for creating artificial scarcity to increase the price of Brent crude.

Buhari, who is currently on an official visit to the US, touched on the subject during a joint press conference with Trump in Washington DC.

A reporter had asked him: “The US import of crude oil from Nigeria has visibly gone down, did you discuss the need for the US to improve its import of crude from Nigeria (during their meeting)?”

Buhari, in turn, responded: “No. I can’t tell the US what to do. Luckily for us, we have got market for our crude oil. But the progress made by the US in technology is certainly frightening for our mono economy.

“I hope technology will allow them to use our crude for its quality from petrochemicals.”