40 years ago, when Nigeria’s offshore marine logistics industry was largely the preserve of multinational operators, the idea of building a world-class indigenous shipping company appeared more aspirational than attainable.
Foreign firms dominated the sector, indigenous capacity was limited, and few Nigerians were willing to venture into the highly capital-intensive business of vessel ownership and offshore marine services.
It was against this backdrop that a young Shell-trained marine engineer, Engr. Greg Ogbeifun, made a decision that would eventually alter the trajectory of indigenous participation in Nigeria’s maritime industry. Rather than remain within the comfort of a successful professional career, he established a modest marine consultancy in 1986 with a conviction that Nigerian companies could compete successfully in a sector then considered beyond their reach.
Four decades later, that vision has grown into STARZS Investments Company Limited (SICL), one of Nigeria’s foremost indigenous shipping-owning and marine logistics conglomerates, with interests spanning offshore marine logistics and support services for the nation’s energy industry.
The company’s remarkable journey took centre stage as it celebrated its 40th anniversary with a week-long programme of activities, including various corporate social responsibility initiatives such as donations, scholarships for industry-related courses, and a maritime symposium in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, where policymakers, regulators, oil and gas executives, maritime stakeholders and industry leaders gathered to reflect not only on the company’s achievements but also on the future of Nigeria’s maritime sector.
The one-week anniversary celebration started with a thanksgiving service and culminated in a cocktail party on Friday, July 10, 2026.
The activities showcased how a locally owned enterprise has survived economic downturns, policy shifts, fluctuations in the oil and gas industry and the changing dynamics of global shipping while remaining committed to indigenous capacity development.
Leading the conversation was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of STARZS Investments Company Limited, Ms. Iroghama Ogbeifun, who described the occasion as a celebration of purpose as much as longevity.
“Today is more than a celebration of a company reaching a remarkable milestone. Forty years, “no be beans”, like they say. It is a celebration of vision, of resilience, of innovation, and the enduring power of purpose”.
She traced the company’s origins to a bold dream conceived four decades ago – one that sought to prove that Nigerians could build and sustain globally competitive maritime businesses capable of serving the offshore energy industry.
“Forty years ago, STARZS began with a bold, very, very bold aspiration to build a world-class indigenous maritime economy that would contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s offshore energy industry.
“Four decades later, we stand on the shoulders of that vision, grateful for how far we have come and inspired by the possibilities that lie ahead. This occasion is particularly meaningful to me”.
The celebration also reflected the evolution of leadership within the company. Having transitioned into its second generation of management, STARZS is seeking to preserve the values that shaped its foundation while positioning itself for the realities of a rapidly changing global maritime industry; these values include excellence, resilience, and its belief and commitment to God. As the Managing Director put it, “we’re faith-based and doing well”.
For her, leadership is measured not by succession alone but by the ability to preserve an institution’s core values while equipping it for future challenges.
“As a managing director and a representative of the second generation of leadership, I do not need to be constantly reminded that true leadership is not merely about inheriting an institution. It is about honouring a legacy while courageously preparing it for the future”.
She noted that the responsibility of the present leadership extends beyond maintaining the company’s achievements to strengthening and modernising the organisation for another generation of growth.
“Our responsibility is not only to preserve what has been built, but to strengthen it, modernise it, and position it for another 40 years of impact.
“The maritime industry is evolving rapidly. There’s digital transformation, decarbonisation, local content development advancement, AI, energy transition, and of course regional integration”.
Those global developments, she observed, are reshaping shipping, offshore logistics and maritime operations across the world, presenting Nigerian companies with both significant opportunities and fresh challenges.
Against that backdrop, she explained that the anniversary symposium was deliberately designed to stimulate practical conversations on the future of the industry rather than simply celebrate past accomplishments.
She said: “Today’s symposium provides an opportunity for meaningful dialogue amongst policymakers, industry leaders, regulators, and the private sector.
“Together we can explore practical solutions that will strengthen Nigeria’s maritime competitiveness, deepen indigenous participation, and begin to develop the next generation of maritime professionals. We want to see more companies like STARZS emerge where second-generation leadership takes charge”.
The symposium focused attention on issues increasingly shaping global maritime operations, including technological innovation, sustainability, indigenous participation, workforce development and the growing importance of the blue economy.
According to Ms. Ogbeifun, these issues require deliberate action from both government and industry if Nigeria is to maximise the enormous opportunities within its maritime sector.
“How do we strengthen indigenous participation while remaining internationally competitive? How do we accelerate innovation without compromising safety? How do we prepare our workforce for the technologies that will define the future?
“How do we ensure that the blue economy becomes a catalyst for sustainable national prosperity? These are conversations that matter not just to STARZS but to our industry and also to the future of Nigeria”.
For her, the company’s greatest contribution to Nigeria will ultimately not be measured solely by its fleet, contracts, or financial success, but by the institutions it helps strengthen and the people it empowers.
As the company marks four decades of operations, she urged industry leaders to think beyond immediate achievements and focus on building lasting legacies.
“So, as we celebrate our past, we must also ask ourselves an important question. What legacy are we building for the generations that will come after us?
“I believe our greatest achievement will not simply be the vessels we own, the contracts we execute, and the milestones that we celebrate”.
The STARZS Managing Director said: “It will be the institutions that we strengthen, the people that we develop, the standards that we uphold, and the opportunities we create for future generations of Nigerians”.
She also acknowledged the contributions of clients, business partners, regulators and government institutions whose support over the years has helped create an enabling environment for indigenous participation and industry growth.
Special appreciation was equally reserved for the company’s employees, whom she described as the driving force behind STARZS’ success through their professionalism, resilience and unwavering commitment to excellence.
As STARZS embarks on its fifth decade, its story reflects the gradual emergence of indigenous capacity within Nigeria’s maritime sector. What started as a single consultancy founded on conviction and technical expertise has evolved into a respected maritime institution, demonstrating that sustained vision, strategic leadership and an unwavering commitment to excellence can transform bold ideas into enduring national assets.
With the global maritime industry entering a new era defined by digital transformation, energy transition and regional integration, the challenge before STARZS, and indeed Nigeria’s maritime industry, is no longer simply to participate, but to lead.
Judging by the message delivered at its 40th anniversary, the company believes its most significant voyage is still ahead.