CBN reassigns the private firms that check every crude and gas cargo before it leaves Nigeria
Eight inspection agents and two monitoring firms now cover the country's export terminals under a new Central Bank circular. Reports differ on its date and on two company names.
In 30 seconds
- The Central Bank of Nigeria has named eight pre-shipment inspection agents for oil and gas exports, Daily Trust and Vanguard reported.
- Two more firms, Q&Q Control Services and Arlington Securitas, will monitor the agents.
- The agents check the quantity and quality of each cargo, which decides how much the country is paid.
- Daily Trust says the previous allocation, in May 2024, had 11 firms.
Every tanker of Nigerian crude oil or gas that sails abroad is checked first by a private inspection firm. The Central Bank of Nigeria has now reshuffled who checks which terminal.
What the circular says
Under the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme, the CBN appointed eight pre-shipment inspection agents and assigned each to particular terminals, Daily Trust and Vanguard reported. The circular was signed by Aderinola Shonekan, the bank's Director of Trade and Exchange.
Two further firms, Q&Q Control Services and Arlington Securitas, were named to monitor the inspection agents.
According to Daily Trust, the allocations include:
- Dakee: the NLNG and Escravos gas export points, among others
- Trexem: Egina, Qua Iboe and others
- 617 Ltd: Bonga, Brass, Usan and Eagle
- Trobell: Forcados, Bonny and Okwori
The other agents named are Robinson International Energy and Integrated Shipping Services, plus two firms whose names the outlets spell differently.
Where the reports differ
Daily Trust dates the circular 29 October and says it took effect from 2 October. Vanguard gives 28 October for both. We could not find the circular on the CBN website to settle it. The two outlets also spell two of the firms differently: Geoscape or Geospace, and Kephren or Nephron. We have left those names out until the CBN's own list can be checked.
Daily Trust said the previous allocation, in May 2024, involved 11 firms.
Why the inspectors matter
What a buyer pays for a cargo depends on how many barrels were loaded and what grade they are. An inspector who records too little, or misses oil loaded without papers, costs the country money. That is why the job sits with the central bank, which tracks the dollars exports earn.
This week's figures from the upstream regulator showed 3.33 million barrels stolen in 2025. Read more. Inspection at the terminal is one of the last checks before oil leaves the country.
What it means for you
You will not see this change directly. But Nigeria's oil earnings pay for a large part of government spending and bring in the dollars that support the naira. Accurate counts at the terminal help make sure the country is paid for everything it ships.
Words to know
- Pre-shipment inspection
- An independent check of how much crude or gas is loaded and of what quality, before the ship sails.
- Export terminal
- The facility, on land or at sea, where crude or gas is loaded on to tankers.
- NESS
- The Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme, run by the CBN to track exports and the money they earn.
Sources
- Daily Trust: CBN reallocates oil, gas export terminals to eight inspection agents (3 Nov 2026)
- Vanguard: CBN appoints eight agents for crude oil exports (Nov 2026)
- Parrot Nigeria: CBN reallocates oil, gas export terminals (4 Nov 2026)
Spotted an error? Tell us and we will fix it and say so.