ics and universities in all 30 states of Nigeria. In addition, there are hundreds of privately-owned schools approved by government for those who choose to send their children to private schools. Nigeria has made its mark in global sports competition. Its national soccer team, the Super Eagles, is the best in Africa and one of the best ten in the world. Nigeria won the first World Cup in the under-16 category in China in 1985 and came second in the same category two years later in Canada. Its Under-20 soccer team won the bronze medal in the Junior World Cup competition in the Soviet Union in 1985 and the silver medal in Saudi Arabia in 1989. In the 1994 World Cup competition, Nigeria led its group to qualify for the second round. In professional boxing, Nigeria has produced three world champions (Hogan "Kid" Bassey (featherweight, 1957-1959); Dick Tiger, (middleweight, 1962-1963) and Massachusetts resident, Bash Ali (cruiserweight, 1987). Nigeria's athletes have also won Olympic medals several track and field events. Dozens of Nigerians are today professional athletes in Europe and America. A Nigerian based in the US, Hakeem Olajuwon, is today roundly judged to be the best basketball player in the world. Petroleum is Nigeria's primary economic resource. Since 1908, when German engineers first drilled the first oil well in Nigeria, a viable industry has sprung up. Oil is today the bedrock of Nigeria's economic development, accounting for more than 80 per cent of its foreign exchange earnings. Nigeria's oil reserves are the ninth largest in the world. In 1987, crude oil reserves totalled 16 billion barrels. Nigeria is a member of OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Nigeria also has vast largely unexplored natural gas reserves, the world's fifth largest. Dozens of European and American businesses are currently exploring joint venture businesses in gas production. But Nigerians themselves now realize the danger...
