The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has assigned eight pre-shipment inspection agents and two monitoring and evaluation firms to oversee crude oil and gas exports. This move introduces a fresh allocation of export terminals among the companies to enhance supervision, accountability, and transparency in the nation’s petroleum export trade.
The appointments, which took effect from October 2, 2026, are being implemented under the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme (NESS). Details were contained in a circular dated October 29, 2026, with reference number TED/FEM/FPC/PUB/001/005, signed by Aderinola Shonekan, Director of the CBN’s Trade and Exchange Department.
The circular, issued in accordance with the Pre-shipment Inspection of Imports Act No. 10 of 1996, was addressed to authorised dealer banks, the Nigeria Customs Service, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, terminal operators, oil and gas companies and members of the public.
The bank directed all relevant stakeholders to ensure compliance with the new arrangements, which change the companies responsible for inspecting export cargoes and the terminals assigned to each agent.
Under the revised allocation, Dakee Engineering and Construction Ltd will cover LNG, Escravos (Gas), Bonny River Terminal (BRT) and EGTL, while Trexem Energy Services Ltd is assigned Egina, Qua Iboe and Tulja terminals.
Geoscape Ltd will oversee Escravos, ERHA, Odudu and FSO Cawthorne, while 617 Ltd has been allocated Bonga, Brass, Usan and Eagle.
Robinson International Energy Ltd will handle Ugo-Cha, Penington, Aje, Ima, Oyo and Nembe, while Trobell International Nigeria Ltd is responsible for Forcados, Bonny and Okwori.
Integrated Shipping Services Nigeria Ltd has been assigned Akpo, Antan, Okoro, Anyala-Madu and Ebok, while Kephren Business Ltd will cover Ukpokiti, Utapate, Yoho, Abo, Agbami, Ajapa, Okono, Okwok and additional marginal streams designated by the NUPRC.
For monitoring and evaluation, Q&Q Control Services Ltd will supervise the activities of 617 Ltd, Trexem Energy Services Ltd, Geoscape Ltd and Kephren Business Ltd.
Arlington Securitas Nigeria Ltd, on the other hand, will monitor Dakee Engineering and Construction Ltd, Trobell International Nigeria Ltd, Robinson International Energy Ltd and Integrated Shipping Services Nigeria Ltd.
The arrangement creates a two-tier supervisory structure, with the eight inspection agents directly responsible for export cargo inspection and the two monitoring companies providing oversight of their activities.
Pre-shipment inspection involves checking and documenting petroleum cargoes before they leave Nigerian export terminals.
This helps establish the quantity and quality of crude oil and gas being exported and provides information that can be used to verify export declarations and associated transactions.
The process is important because the actual volume of petroleum exported determines how much revenue should accrue to the country.
Differences between declared and actual export volumes, inaccurate documentation or discrepancies in cargo measurements could undermine government revenue and compound the reconciliation of export proceeds.
The monitoring and evaluation agents are expected to provide an additional layer of supervision by assessing the performance and compliance of the inspection companies. This separation of responsibilities is intended to strengthen accountability and reduce the risk of weaknesses in the inspection process going undetected.
The appointments follow several adjustments to the NESS framework. In May 2024, the CBN appointed 11 agents, comprising nine pre-shipment inspection companies and two monitoring and evaluation firms.
Dakee Engineering and Construction and Arlington Securitas were among the companies appointed at the time.
The allocation of export terminals was subsequently reviewed in March 2025. In July 2026, the CBN also appointed Candid Oil Services Ltd as an inspection agent for the Taurus Oil and Gas Depot.
The latest circular represents another adjustment to the supervisory structure, particularly in the distribution of export terminals among the inspection companies.
The move comes amid the growing importance of crude oil and gas exports to Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.
According to CBN data, Nigeria’s merchandise trade surplus nearly doubled to $16.1 billion in the first half of 2026, driven by stronger crude oil earnings, rising exports of refined petroleum products and declining imports, signalling an improvement in the country’s external trade position.
Oil and gas exports remained the dominant driver, rising by 30 per cent quarter-on-quarter to almost $17 billion and accounting for 84.5 per cent of total merchandise exports. The performance reflected improved crude production and higher international oil prices.
With petroleum exports remaining a major source of foreign exchange, effective monitoring of cargoes and export documentation is critical to ensuring that proceeds due to the country are properly accounted for.
What You Should Know
The Central Bank of Nigeria has reorganized how crude oil and gas exports are monitored by switching the terminal assignments of eight inspection agents and putting two evaluation companies in charge of oversight.
- Positive Impact: Better tracking and inspection of petroleum cargo help ensure that accurate export volumes are recorded, which protects government revenue and boosts foreign exchange earnings.
- Potential Concerns: Bureaucratic shifts and reallocations among terminal operators and inspection agencies could cause short-term friction or delays in petroleum export processes.
