Eferebo Sylvanus
Eferebo Ibietela Sylvanus (born 7 June 1983) is a Nigerian businessman and engineer. He is the founder of Brain Box Matrix Services and Somatrix Marine. He has been serving as the national chairman of Nigeria Institution of Maritime Engineers and Naval Architects, NIMENA, since 2025. He also chair the management board of the Centre for Marine and Offshore Technology Development, CMOTD at Rivers State University.
Early life and education
Sylvanus was born in Tombia, Degema Local Government Area, Rivers State. In 2008, he graduated from Rivers State University with a degree in Marine Engineering and in 2019, with a master's degree in Naval Architecture and Ship Construction from the same university.
In 2023, he graduated with a PhD in Naval Architecture and Shipbuilding from the same university.
Career
Sylvanus started his career as a senior mechanical engineer on the Jubob/NETCO Front-End Engineering Design project for SEPLAT's Liquid Treatment Facility. He has worked in engineering design, offshore operations, consultancy, and policy advisory roles.
In 2009, he founded Brain Box Matrix Services as an engineering consultancy company. The company provides front-end engineering design and consultancy services to the oil & gas maritime sectors. The company also involve in technical training and ICT consultancy.
In 2015, Sylvanus contested for the Rivers State House of Assembly to represent Dagema State Constituency on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, but lost out to Farah Dagogo of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP who won the seat.
In 2020, Sylvanus also founded Somatrix Marine as an engineering consultancy company. The company provides services in marine and offshore engineering, ship design, project management, advanced simulation technologies, computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis.
Sylvanus served as principal technical consultant to the Nigeria House of Representatives Committee on Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring. He chairs the management board of the Centre for Marine and Offshore Technology Development, CMOTD at Rivers State University.
National Chairman of NIMENA
In January 2025, Sylvanus was elected as the national chairman of Nigeria Institution of Maritime Engineers and Naval Architects, NIMENA. He replaced Daniel Tamunodukobipi.
Awards and Recognition
In 2026, Sylvanus was named as the Marine Engineer of the Year at the 2026 Maritime Industry Merit Awards.
Personal life
Sylvanus is married to Chidimma Joy Eferebo and they have three children.