At just 40, Iroghama Ogbeifun is an unstoppable force redefining Nigeria’s maritime and entrepreneurial landscape. From running a thriving shipping empire to nurturing businesses across beauty, wellness, and retail, her story proves ambition and humility go hand-in-hand. In this insightful conversation, she reflects candidly on life’s lessons, family legacies, navigating a male-dominated industry, motherhood, and the exciting journey ahead.
Urbane and cosmopolitan in looks, inventive and dogged in business, Iroghama Ogbeifun has a healthy appetite for building an enduring legacy in the shipping business founded by her father. Smart and forward-looking, Iroghama belongs to the class of 21st-century female business magnates and revolutionaries breaking the glass ceiling and fearlessly treading paths long dominated by men.
There is no hiding the fact that the shrewd businesswoman boasts an influential background, being the daughter of billionaire shipping magnate Greg Ogbeifun and accomplished medical doctor, the late Dr Cecelia Ojezua. Despite being seen to have had it all good and easy, the Edo State-born serial entrepreneur is known to have firmly turned her back on a life of over-indulgence from childhood.
Iroghama Ogbeifun is currently the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Starzs Investments Company Limited, a fully indigenous ship-owning marine logistics company which provides offshore support and vessel logistics services to international oil companies involved in oil exploration and production in Nigeria’s offshore. Much more than her title, she gets her hands dirty, overseeing the operations and strategic direction of a company boasting a fleet of eleven ships, thereby driving excellence in service delivery, business growth, and stakeholder engagement.
A well-educated and grounded executive, Iro, as she is also fondly called, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Psychology from the University of Massachusetts, Boston, and a Master of Science degree in Public Health and Health Promotion from Brunel University, London. She is also an alumna of the Harvard Business School’s Owner/President Management (OPM) programme and holds professional certifications in Commercial Risk in Shipping from Lloyd’s Maritime Academy and the ABC of Shipping from the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping.
A result-driven Chief Executive credited with driving remarkable growth for over 11 years in the maritime industry, Iro is a visionary leader in every aspect. Her rise within Starzs Investments Company began with her appointment as Executive Director, followed by her role as Chief Operating Officer, before assuming the office of MD/CEO. In this position, she draws on her exceptional depth of expertise and skills to lead on strategy while overseeing critical areas such as business development, research, and policy.
For her, growing the company’s revenue performance is a crucial part of a leader’s scorecard, and she has solid achievements in this regard. Among other accomplishments, she helped the company qualify for $15 million in Mezzanine Debt for business expansion in 2015.
Under her management, the company has also grown its assets base from 3 ships in 2014 to 11 ships as of February 2021, reinforcing its stature as a key player in Nigeria’s maritime logistics industry.
In addition to her role at Starzs Investments Company, Iroghama is the Vice Chairman of Starzs Gas Limited and Director at Eaglewatch Security Limited. She also serves as Chairman of the Technical Committee of the Ship Owners Association of Nigeria (SOAN), and is a member of the Board of Trustees of The R.E.A.C.H Nigeria Foundation.
A passionate advocate for women in the energy sector, she is a Founding Member and Sponsorship Director of the Women in Energy Network (WIEN), a Member of the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD), a Fellow of the National Institute of Credit Administration (NICA), and a Life Member of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ). She is also a Patron of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN) and a member of GAIA Africa.
Iroghama is a serial entrepreneur and the founder of Hairven, a beauty and wellness brand that comprises salons, spas, and a hair care product line. She is responsible for the brand’s strategic direction and expansion, particularly its Hairven Hair Bar model salons.
Her outstanding entrepreneurial spirit and business acumen have earned her widespread recognition, including winning the maiden edition of The Next Titan Entrepreneurial Reality TV Show in 2013, two Eagle Awards for Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Outstanding Female Entrepreneur of the Year at the Entrepreneur Africa Awards 2021, Most Respected CEO in Nigeria (Maritime Category) in 2022, and the Amazon of the Maritime Industry award. She bagged the Oil Industry Trendsetter Award in 2022 and was recognised for Exemplary Leadership in Entrepreneurship at The Peak Performing Woman of the Year Award in 2023.
In the same year, she was named Business Leader of the Year by the International Achievements Research Centre, while she won the Rising Star Award of the Year at the 2024 NOG Energy Week and the Entrepreneur of the Year for Business Expansion and Consolidation at the 9th Annual Nigeria Credit Industry Awards.
Most recently, she received the Female Entrepreneur of the Year Award at the 2024 Global Entrepreneurship Festival and the Women in Leadership Award for female empowerment at the 2025 Nigeria Oil and Gas Opportunity Fair (NOGOF) alongside Goodluck Jonathan and Tony Attah.
Iro’s expertise as an authority in the maritime sector got a boost when on July 2nd, 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu appointed her as a Member of the Governing Board of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
Renowned as an impactful public speaker, Iroghama has addressed audiences at a wide array of prestigious platforms including the Nigeria Women Oil and Gas Conference, the Nigerian International Energy Summit, the Nigeria Oil and Gas Conference and Exhibition, the British Commonwealth Business Forum in the United Kingdom, and the NCDMB Practical Nigerian Content Conference, among many others.
Beyond her professional achievements, Iroghama is deeply passionate about the development of young female entrepreneurs and considers mentorship as important to the advancement of women in business and the broader Nigerian economic ecosystem. She is a devoted mother to twin daughters, balancing her thriving professional life with her dedication to family and community development. As she turns 40 today, she unveils her life’s trajectory with Guardian Life Magazine.
How do you feel turning 40?
I feel a deep gratitude to God for preserving my life. Many people didn’t get this opportunity, so I can’t deny the privilege. It has also been a reflective period, taking stock of all that has happened in the past 40 years. My achievements, my blessings, my losses, my failures, my wins, and learning where needed. I’m deeply appreciative of the blessings God placed in my life: my children, family, and friends, whom I consider my backbones. All in all, I thank God Almighty for being alive.
What was going through your mind as you approached the 4th floor?
I wasn’t afraid or pressured, but it definitely made me pause and think. 10 years ago, I wouldn’t have imagined myself where I am today. It can only be God rewarding my commitment and focus on achieving my goals. I couldn’t have imagined having twin girls or thriving in the maritime industry, which is far from my educational background, or the myriads of businesses that I have had the privilege to open, ranging from supermarkets, pharmaceutical stores and even several beauty salons.
Approaching 40, I reflected on the interesting twists and turns that my life has taken in the last decade and envisioned what the future could look like.
Being the daughter of an accomplished medical doctor mum and a shipping magnate dad, how would you describe growing up under your parents’ tutelage?
My parents’ impact no doubt significantly influenced my life’s trajectory.
My late mum, Dr Cecilia Ojezua, was my ultimate role model: smart, brilliant, and goal-driven. She was the mirror through which I saw myself. She removed every limiting belief that could have existed in my mind, especially as a girl-child, preparing me to thrive in a male-dominated environment because she showed me that anything was possible. She achieved every vision with so much grace, charisma, and ease, although she still faced many obstacles along the way. Against all odds, she achieved all her dreams by chasing her goals and shoving distractions aside.
And my dad, Sir Greg Ogbeifun, is the greatest of all time in terms of vision, purpose and achievements. He is also my role model. My dad showed me what it meant to have a male ally. When I was young, he never treated me preferentially because I was a female child. From him, I learnt the importance and merit of hard work and that for every action, there is a consequence. He would always say life is choice-driven. I watched how he supported the women in his life and set the stage while supporting and providing whatever was needed to reach my full potential. My dad showed me that it was possible for men to support women to do well and to chase their dreams, and that gave me a different colouring of life and also raised the bar for me.
My father is also my mentor by setting the stage for me to be successful, providing quality education for me both at home and abroad, and above all, by allowing me to fly under his wings. Since secondary school, one of his mantras was that whatever you do in life, you are doing it for yourself. It was a piece of advice for us to take ownership of our failures as well as our successes and that, for me, was a defining moment. Those words shaped my thinking and my commitment to succeed.
Coming from such a background sometimes creates a burden of expectation. Have you ever felt intimidated stepping into the position?
In life, I try to run my own race and raise the bar by demonstrating that I am equal to the task. When I joined the organisation 11 years ago, despite it being a family business, I initially felt a bit insecure since I wasn’t an engineer and it was a new terrain. However, I also understood the responsibility placed on me, and I approached it humbly and eager to learn. Over the years, I have proven my capacity and competence in the industry. I have grown as a thought leader in the maritime and energy sectors, which has given me some level of recognition. And so, I constantly remind myself of who I am, what my purpose is, as well as the capability and capacity that God has bestowed on me.
How much would you say studying Biology and Psychology for your first degree and Public Health and Health Promotion for your Master’s stretched you?
My initial dream was to study medicine, but by my second year, I realised it wasn’t for me. I am afraid of blood; I don’t like needles. Being exposed under my college to various other academic topics, I realised I had a very strong interest in psychology and biology. Public health was a new and emerging discipline that had more doctors who were combining their medical degrees with public health degrees than stand-alone public health degree holders and this was circa 2006 to 2007.
I spoke to my dad about taking another degree in Public Health, focusing on health policy and promotion and implementing health policies for at-risk populations. The desire was to potentially work for the Nigerian Ministry of Health, WHO, or UNICEF. My dad was a bit sceptical and had to do some research with some of his friends who owned hospitals. I never practised as a public health specialist but as ‘no knowledge is wasted,’ my background in public health came in very handy when the opportunity arose to partner with my pharmacist aunt to set up community-based pharmaceutical outlets in different parts of Nigeria. It has been an interesting journey so far.
Your journey as managing director/chief executive officer at the family-owned Starzs Investment Company Limited has been remarkable. What major role did you play to make you stand out?
Initially, I saw myself as a greenhorn in the shipping industry, so I proactively prepared myself through training. I attended two courses: the ABC of Shipping by the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, and Lloyd’s Maritime Academy training on risk in Shipping. I also received very important on-the-job training from my former CEO, the technical and operations team, and by understudying my dad.
I needed to understand how the vessels operated, and how crewing worked, as well as about insurance, statutory requirements, clients’ specific needs, and commercial and contractual negotiations. We also had a fantastic vice chairman and ship broker, Mr Andy Holder, who was a great tutor.
There were many strong pillars around me that I could lean on and gain knowledge from, and I took advantage of every avenue available to me to improve my skills and knowledge. But there is no faster way to learn than being thrown into the deep end, where you have to swim your way out. Attending numerous conferences, industry-based conferences and networking expanded my knowledge bank and networks.
What has been the driving force behind your remarkable growth, especially growing the assets base from three ships to 11 between 2014 and 2021?
Naturally, I am an ambitious and driven individual, which comes to bear in all my activities ranging from the maritime business, the beauty business, the supermarket, and pharmacy retail businesses.
Secondly, I am committed to preserving my father’s legacy through the business, and this was a strong motivator. I also give kudos to the people who agreed to work with me, who believe in my mission and who burn the midnight candle to make sure we succeed. We have had people who have practically walked the business to the top. Their unwavering support and commitment cannot be overemphasised. They were definitely contributors and we give them all the credit for participating in the growth and expansion of the business. In all, I am a self-motivated lady who doesn’t struggle to self-lead, and above all, I am inspired by the man behind the vision.
How hurtful is it when people say your position was handed to you on a platter of gold, ignoring your great accomplishments as CEO?
(Laughs) Such comments have been unleashed on several people before me and the scenario will continue to play out till the end of time. I face this ‘persecution’ every day but remain focused because success is internal. It is quiet, disciplined, and singular in focus.
There was a particular industry award that eluded me for almost over two years because every time my name was brought up before the awarding committee, the comments that would always pop up were, “Is it not her father’s business?” But being focused is the winning formula and when that conversation came up and people were able to reel out my tangible achievements and contributions, not just within the sector but even outside it, it became undeniable that I was not being given my flowers as young people would say nowadays.
I take significant pride in the fact my father was able to build something that I could step into and take over and run with his vision. I do not allow such comments to hold me back; instead, I focus on the positives of whatever they are saying. My father has very big shoes and I am not trying to fill them at all.
As an expert in maritime, how do you think the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund can help indigenous ship owners?
The purpose of the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF) is to enable and promote indigenous vessel ownership through vessel acquisition and maritime asset financing in line with the Cabotage Act. The act has four pillars: the vessel must be owned by Nigerians. It must be built in Nigeria. It must be flagged Nigerian. And it must be manned by Nigerians.
So, the CVFFund was set up to facilitate the bit of the vessel being built and owned by Nigerians. Obviously, you need money to buy a ship, even if you’re buying it from abroad. And, you also need money to set up a shipyard that can build those boats. So that way, the buying and the ownership, the Nigerian ownership, and the Nigerian building pillars of the Cabotage Act could be fulfilled. That is what the CVFF was set up for. To build the fund.
NIMASA charges 2% on all maritime activity that takes place within the Nigerian coastal waters. Since the Cabotage Act was enacted in 2003, which is 22 years ago, we have had no luck in the disbursement of a penny from that fund. However, under the current leadership of Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, it seems that the jinx might be broken as he has secured the approval of Mr President for the disbursement of CVFF to qualifying beneficiaries.
While there are still some grey areas around the workability of the fund disbursement, it is encouraging to note that at least the process has commenced. As stakeholders, we are keeping a very close eye on it, and I believe that the Honourable Minister is committed to ensuring that he finally breaks this jinx of the CVFF disbursement.
Emerging winner of The Next Titan Entrepreneurial Reality TV Show back in 2013 was a defining moment. What are the enduring lessons that you would say continue to guide you up till now from the reality TV show?
Impossible is nothing. That was my mantra when I was on that show. That principle is what I took away from The Next Titan. I have taken that tenacity with me on life’s journey. One may call it a tenacious spirit that I developed on the show and I have continued to put that to use all these years.
I can’t take away the relationships that I built during the show that have lasted till today. The current Hon. Minister of Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, was one of the judges on the show; our relationship has blossomed and she continues to mentor me until today. The business moguls, Tonye Cole and Bukar Kyari, were judges on the show and I continue to relate closely with both of them to date. The show helped me with relationship building, maintaining these relationships and of course, building my tenacity regarding business processes.
Why did you choose to go to The Next Titan?
Initially, I was a bit reluctant because I compared it to the Big Brother Show but after a bit of research, I saw it was more comparable to Donald Trump’s The Apprentice TV show with the only difference being that The Next Titan was for business owners as opposed to employees, and I plunged myself into it.
In my case, the process was divine because I just moved back from the United Kingdom and it wasn’t part of my agenda. Ironically, it was a friend of mine, Xolomon Wuche, who first sold the idea of The Next Titan competition to me. He encouraged me to try out at the auditions and the rest, as they say, is history. I had just moved back from the UK a year before and I was aggressively marketing my brand, Hairven. I saw it just as another avenue to push that brand. To be honest, when I went for the auditions, I never imagined that I would eventually become the winner.
Among several applications, I got shortlisted among the top 50. When we got to Lagos, we had the boot camp, and I emerged among the top 16 of eight females and eight males. That was when the tempo was high and my family members started getting a bit excited. When we got to the house, I approached one of the judges for tips and he simply said, “Iro, just pray for wisdom, because that is what will direct you for the rest of this show.” It was the best advice the man could have given me, and I continue to hold on to that advice to this day because, at every given point in time, I see wisdom as creative solutions.
That guided me throughout the 11 weeks that I was in the house. The Next Titan drives the entrepreneurial spirit in you. In my group, we sold a car in 48 hours, built a mini sick bay/health centre in Ikota slum, and did all kinds of crazy things within 48 hours. I think it was just really God leading me. For me, it definitely wasn’t money but it was a lifetime experience.
Looking back, having excelled in various sectors, which of your numerous achievements would you say you are most proud of?
Wow!!! That is such a tough question because they are all not on the same pedestal; they all have their own various weight and importance to me.
My businesses have enabled me to create a platform through which other people can generate wealth. The ones that I would say have challenged and really stretched me, because I built it from scratch, is the establishment of the pharmacy and supermarket chain that I operate both in Lagos and Port Harcourt. So, I am gradually building a chain of FMCG retail businesses. And you can imagine going into a sector for the first time with little or no knowledge and it has been a success.
I started the beauty business in 2009, and other businesses three years ago, and to have grown and expanded so quickly within three years and grown organically, not taking a loan from the bank or external investors is commendable and shows discipline. I am ploughing back my savings and proceeds into the businesses and over time, the businesses are thriving; they are not suffering but are actually doing very well. It is just really amazing to me. I would say I am proud of myself and my team for what we have achieved in that space.
Getting personal, you mentioned losses, I remember you lost your mum seven years ago. What do you miss about her?
I lost my mom in 2018. I am sure wherever she is, she is grateful that God gave her the opportunity to see her grandchildren. God kept her alive long enough for her to do her “Omugwo” and take care of her grandchildren. She was with me when I delivered them in the hospital, and we enjoyed her presence in our lives for the next one year after they were born.
So, when I think about her and sadness tries to creep in, I take solace in the fact that she had the opportunity to meet and get to know her grandchildren, my children. I remember while I was in my waiting season to have my children, she would tell me about the dreams she had about them, she knew that I would have girls. She would tell me how she would see them in pigtails, dressed in their school uniforms.
When she retired from NNPC, she told everyone that her name would no longer be Dr Cecilia Ojezua but instead, she wanted to be called Babe Cee as she had moved on from being a doctor. So, we all called her Babe Cee up till the time she passed away. So, from time to time, in my quiet moments, I look at her and tell her, Babe Cee, I hope I am doing you proud, I hope you are proud of me. As far as I am concerned, as long as I am doing the things that I know if she was here, she would want me to be doing, which is really chasing my dreams, looking after my children, raising them in the way of the Lord, I just take a bit of solace in knowing that wherever she is, I want to believe that she is happy and she is content that her daughter is doing well.
You have two lovely girls; how do you juggle motherhood and still be on top of your game as the driver of a shipping business and business mogul?
They are just a delight. As a working mother, there is no work-life balance, it is just being able to prioritise what is important per time. So, when you are prioritising one thing, you can rest assured that the other thing you are not prioritising is taking a back seat. And to be honest, there are times when I have to show up for work, which means that I am not at home, so I put a structure in place that fills that gap.
Community is everything, from my family, my friends, to my domestic staff, to my office support staff, everyone. I have structured my home in a way that at least, things don’t fall through the cracks, even if I am absent. And there are also times when I have to show up for my children, and so work and business take a back seat, because in that moment, like today for example, which was Open Day, work took a back seat. No meetings were booked for today, I didn’t show up at the office because I had to be in school and show up for my children, and that is why I talked about the ability to prioritise per time on what is most important at the moment. And I am also committed to ensuring that when I am present, I don’t believe it is about quantity; but it is really about quality.
My father was initially worried because of my schedule and all of that, if they were getting enough attention. But when he interacted with them, he saw that they were growing up to be such wonderful young ladies. And I actually shed a tear listening to him because it helped with some validation that as much as I might not be perfect, and I might not be getting it all right 100%, at least what I am doing is sufficient to help my girls, give them a good chance in life.
And then lastly, just on the point they talked to him about when they were spending time with him. They told him, “Oh, grandpa, we want to be like mum.” One of them said she is going to attend Harvard Business School like mummy so she can run successful businesses and the other one said she would like to be a neurosurgeon, and I was so glad listening to them this past weekend and hearing them speak that way. I was happy that I was able to also pass on the same mindset that I got from my mother.
Which of the guilty pleasures of life can you not do without: bags, shoes, wristwatches or jewellery?
I think mine would be shoes. Oh my God! I love shoes. And I am gradually entering the whole bag craze phase, but I think I am more of a shoes girl. I can’t even count how many shoes I have. But I love my shoes. I love my heels. When I like a pair of shoes, I can buy them in 10 different colours.
Do you take time to unwind? If yes, how do you relax?
I love vacations, but I also love my Netflix. Anything that involves just curling up on a sofa, watching a TV show or movie with a glass of red wine just does it for me. And I can also occasionally just zone off and listen to jazz. Just in the quiet, because you spend the day mostly talking. You are talking, engaging. Your brain is actively on overdrive most hours of the day. So, when you can come home to that quiet, and everywhere is still, there’s no chaos. It is just silent and easy. And of course, there is the occasional party and nights out with my girls. Because all work and no play makes Iro a very dull girl.
The past 40 years have been exciting. What is next?
Another 40 years of God’s grace. Another 40 years of opening more businesses, expanding the ones that already exist, taking them to greater heights. Another 40 years of building my own legacy, shaping it properly, and defining what that looks like. As one grows older, there is a sense of giving back to the society that has been so gracious. I am going to contribute to humanity within my capacity and the society at large.
