The Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, while playing host to the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers in his office has said that Nigeria will import crude oil.
The Society led by its President, Prof. Emenike Wami, paid a courtesy visit to the Minister in his office on Monday where he issued the statement.
The Minister further called on Nigerians to get prepared for a period when every petroleum product produced in the country will get used up due to the rapid growth in the nation’s economy.
Onu added that importation of crude oil is not necessarily a bad thing, citing examples of countries such as Indonesia. According to him, Indonesia used to export crude oil, but, as their economy grew, it got to a level where they needed all they could produce and now depended on import.
The Minister also tasked the Society of Chemical Engineers, “As engineers, you are in a position to ensure that many of the things that we import in Nigeria can be produced here in the country.
“We want to make it possible for a Nigerian who has a good idea to see that idea becomes either a product or service that will be available in the market place that is what this ministry is working towards,”