AFRICAN trade with the United States last year counted for less than 1% of US merchandise exports worldwide — an increase of less than 0,1% from 1997. Only 1,4% of US imports — including crude oil — came from the continent, down from 1,9% in 1997. , However, the US sourced 26% of its crude imports from Africa with Nigeria, Angola and Gabon topping its list. The value of the imports was $7,6-billion, without which the US would have run a $1,3-billion trade surplus with the region.