We believe in Africa’s potential and we act on it.
Founded
2007
Elma Group is the story of a dream, of setbacks on the ground, of adjustments, and of perseverance leading to the success it enjoys today.
2007
An idea sprouts, nurtured by a vision and an identified need. Then, it takes shape through rigorous planning and essential administrative steps. This is how the Group was founded, beginning its activities with project management consulting through the company ProServices Congo, the forerunner of StarkHold, which remains to this day a leading name in the financial consulting sector.
2010
Initially focused on consulting, the holding company diversified by creating a specialized advertising entity, AIA, which installed numerous billboards in Kinshasa and Lubumbashi. Later renamed Advert’One, the company quickly grew to become a key player in global and institutional communications, public relations, and media. During the same period, the Group also ventured into the construction sector, but without success. However, ten years later, it returned to this field by establishing Engi Crafters, which achieved notable success.
2015
Elma Group is strengthening its presence in its established sectors while cautiously entering the trading of raw materials and a few exploration projects. The Group also clarifies its commitment to social responsibility through the Matadi Foundation, which aims to foster solidarity in the healthcare sector and support the renovation of schools.
2019
With the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, the growth of several of the Group’s activities was significantly slowed. Market uncertainty and the global economic slowdown forced the Group to drastically reduce its workforce and scale back some of its operations. The following three years, up to 2021, were particularly challenging for our activities, each within its specific context. However, this period also presented great opportunities to reinvent ourselves where needed and to thrive even more in the future.
2024
Since 2022, the Holding’s management has delivered spectacular results across all our subsidiaries. Sectors such as hydrocarbons, agribusiness, and financial consulting have been strengthened, with even greater prospects ahead. In 2023 and 2024, our subsidiaries made remarkable breakthroughs, raising the Group’s standards to a high level. We are now operational in 11 African countries, notably with Matcoen, which has become a giant in agro-food import-export. From now on, our projects are even more ambitious as we actively contribute to the revitalization of the African economy with a distinctly pan-African approach.
