ABUJA (Reuters) - Nigeria's economy is likely to be growing at a rate of about 3.3 to 3.5 percent by the end of this year, the budget minister said on Thursday. Udoma Udo Udoma made the comments at a news conference after a meeting of the National Economic Council, a body that advises the government. Nigeria's economy contracted by 0.36 percent in the first quarter of the year and the central bank governor has said a recession appears to be imminent. (Reporting by Felix Onuah,; Writing by Alexis Akwagyiram; Editing by Ulf Laessing)