Greek presence in modern Lubumbashi (former Elisabethville) has its roots in the 1920s. It is reported that in 1917, about 150 Greeks lived in the city the surrounding forests. More Greeks settled in the area during the periods 1936-39 and 1946-48.
The Hellenic Community of Lubumbashi was established in 1923. With Lubumbashi as starting point, which has always been an important hub for transports, Greeks became pioneers in transporting and selling goods – mainly food and clothing – even to regions where access was challenging. Experienced seamen found familiar to their home surroundings in the lakes Tanganyika and Mweru, where they run large companies involved in fishing and its trade. It was the heyday of the Hellenic community that counted 3,500 people at the time.