US President George W. Bush is likely to be pressed by Nigeria's President Olusegun Obasanjo today to send troops to help restore peace in Liberia as he ends an African trip in the major US oil supplier.
Nigeria's position as fifth largest crude exporter to the United States will give Mr Obasanjo clout when he takes up growing calls across Africa for Mr Bush to contribute troops to a mainly African peacekeeping force for Liberia.
Mr Bush began an 18-hour visit to Nigeria at the state-of-the-art national hospital in the capital Abuja, where he toured HIV units and shook hands with HIV infected women and three of their children who were not infected.
They greeted him with a song beginning: "We are here to say welcome to you today and help to make Nigeria great."
Mr Bush says he will join efforts to enforce a fragile ceasefire to end Liberia's civil war, but is waiting on reports from US military experts in the West African state before deciding whether to send troops.
Secretary of State Colin Powell, accompanying Mr Bush, said a decision will be made within the next few days, but Mr Obasanjo said on Thursday he believed Mr Bush would send soldiers to help end 14 years of almost non-stop conflict in Liberia, founded by freed American slaves in the 19th century.