By Levinus Nwabughiogu ABUJA - With the drastic fall of oil prices in the international market, President Mohammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria was returning to agriculture and mining to cushion its effect on the economy. He regretted that the country had largely depended on oil, stressing that current harsh economic realities were an indication that the economy needed to be urgently diversified. President Buhari who spoke at a meeting with leading members of the Council of Saudi Arabia’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry, late Tuesday in Riyadh said that his administration would welcome greater foreign investment in support of its efforts to rapidly diversify the Nigerian economy. Apart from oil, he stated that Nigeria was gifted with arable lands and mineral resources that were waiting to be tapped, urging the businessmen to take advantage of the opportunity. “With the downturn in the global prices of oil, we now have to prospect our solid minerals. We have to return to agriculture. Mining and agriculture are our hopes now. We will welcome investments in these areas. We will appreciate an in-flow of more resources and expertise to help us achieve our objective of economic diversification," the President said.

We  ‘re returning to agriculture, mining to
develop economy, Buhari tells Saudi investors
By Levinus Nwabughiogu

ABUJA - With the drastic fall of oil prices in
the international market, President
Mohammadu Buhari has said that Nigeria was
returning to agriculture and mining to cushion
its effect on the economy.
He regretted that the country had largely
depended on oil, stressing that current harsh
economic realities were an indication that the
economy needed to be urgently diversified.
President Buhari who spoke at a meeting with
leading members of the Council of Saudi
Arabia’s Chambers of Commerce and Industry,
late Tuesday in Riyadh said that his
administration would welcome greater foreign
investment in support of its efforts to rapidly
diversify the Nigerian economy.
Apart from oil, he stated that Nigeria was
gifted with arable lands and mineral resources
that were waiting to be tapped, urging the
businessmen to take advantage of the
opportunity.
“With the downturn in the global prices of oil,
we now have to prospect our solid minerals.
We have to return to agriculture. Mining and
agriculture are our hopes now. We will
welcome investments in these areas. We will
appreciate an in-flow of more resources and
expertise to help us achieve our objective of
economic diversification," the President said.

Source vanguard news paper