Photo: NATO

A group of Somali pirates are apprehended by several Portuguese marines.

Despite industry players' outcry against its poor services, Global Scansystems Ltd has emerged one of the six oil and gas export pre-shipment inspection service providers, whose contract terms were extended by the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN).

The CBN in a statement on its website said, it had extended the pre-shipment inspection contract for oil and gas exports for six agents under the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme.

The development followed an earlier circular on the appointment of additional Pre-Shipment Inspection Agents (PIAs).

Global Scan, according to the CBN, has been assigned to Qua Iboe, Bonny and Pennington oil and gas terminals.

The statement signed by the Director, Trade and Exchange Department, CBN, Mr. Batari Musa, listed the other five PIAs as JBIS Integrated Resources Limited, Robinson International Energy Limited, Trobel International Nigeria Limited, Candid Oil Services Limited, and Gulf Inspection Services Limited.

"Further to the circular of May 2, 2012 on the appointment of additional pre-shipment inspection agents for oil and gas export under the Nigerian Export Supervision Scheme, authorised dealers and the general public are hereby informed that the federal government has extended the contract for the under listed pre-shipment agents for a period of 12 months with effect from June 7, 2013," the statement said.

The apex bank added that the federal government had appointed monitoring agents to oversee the activities of the PIAs. The two monitoring agents, according to the circular, are Messrs Arlington Securities Limited and Swede Control Intertek Limited.

The bank said Arlington would monitor the activities of JBIS, Trobel and Gulf while Swede would oversee the activities of Robinson, Global Scan and Candid Oil.

According to the central bank, Global Scan has been assigned to Qua Iboe, Bonny and Pennington oil and gas terminals; JBIS to Akpo, Agbami, Erha, Bonga; and Ea oil and gas terminals; and Robinso to Yoho, Brass, Oyo and Antan oil and gas terminals.

Trobel is expected to operate at Okwori, Okoro, Ukokiti, Excravos, and Obe; Candid to Abo, Usan Forcados, Tuja, Odudu and Ima; while Gulf has been assigned to all gas terminals.