Forty Years of Indigenous Shipping: How Greg Ogbeifun Led Starzs Investments Built Nigeria’s Maritime Standard
He is a one of Nigeria’s business men titan who has been consistent in his trade. From a one-man marine consultancy with a contract worth less than one million naira
Greg Ogbeifun, a prominent Nigerian businessman, has led Starzs Investments Company Limited (SICL) for the past four decades. Beginning as a one-man marine consultancy with a contract worth less than one million naira, SICL has grown into a multi-billion-naira enterprise operating across West Africa’s offshore sector. The company has been consistently recognized for its commitment to indigenous expertise and global standards, making it a pioneer in Nigeria’s maritime industry.
SICL's journey began in 1986 when Engr. Greg Utomwen Ogbeifun, a Shell-trained marine engineer, founded the company. With a single marine consultancy contract, Ogbeifun aimed to prove that a Nigerian company could compete with multinational corporations. The company's first major victory came from winning a Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) contract for tank cleaning, which demonstrated Nigeria's capability to compete on technical competence and service delivery.
The success of this contract allowed SICL to reinvest in vessel acquisition and fleet development, turning the company into a vessel owner and fleet manager. Over the years, SICL has built a diverse fleet of eleven vessels and expanded its operations to include offshore logistics, supporting critical offshore projects across Nigeria's deepwater fields. The company's vessels have served major international energy companies, including TotalEnergies, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron, NLNG, and Perenco.
Recognizing the importance of robust maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea, SICL became one of Nigeria's licensed Maritime Security Logistics Support (MSLS) providers. The company's security vessels, equipped with modern navigation, surveillance, and communication systems, work in partnership with the Nigerian Navy. SICL's commitment to safety is evident in its Quality, Health, Safety, Security, and Environmental (QHSSE) Management System, built around internationally recognized ISM and ISPS Codes, and reinforced by ISO 9001:2015 certification.
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