Olorogun Oskar Ibru, a Nigerian industrialist and chairman of the Ibru Organisation, has passed away at the age of 67.
His family confirmed his passing after what they described as a brief illness, though no further details were disclosed.
Born into the illustrious Ibru family, Oskar was among the most visible heirs to the empire founded by his father, Olorogun Michael Ibru, who built one of Nigeria’s first indigenous conglomerates with interests in shipping, oil and gas, aviation, real estate, and commerce.
The Ibru Organisation became synonymous with indigenous entrepreneurship long before such ventures were fashionable.
Educated at Igbobi College in Lagos, he later studied at Skidmore College in the United States, before proceeding to Atlanta University’s Graduate School of Business, where he obtained a master’s degree.
Oskar Ibru returned to Nigeria in 1983 and began his career at The Guardian as a management trainee before moving to Emsee Shipping Lines Limited, where he served as Research and Development Manager.
He became the General Manager and later the Managing Director in 1992. Over the years, he took charge of several subsidiaries within the Ibru Organization, playing a key role in strategic decision-making across diverse sectors, including shipping, fishing, oil and gas, port operations, and real estate.
Oskar Ibru was the President of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping from 2006 to 2010