What South Group does

South Group Corp is a privately held Iraqi conglomerate headquartered in Basra, founded in 2003 to serve post-conflict reconstruction, infrastructure, and oil and gas sector needs in southern Iraq. The group operates eight wholly owned subsidiaries spanning complementary sectors: AGMACO (Arab Gulf Company for Mine Clearance) for humanitarian and commercial demining and unexploded ordnance disposal; Barakat Al-Izz for general contracting; Al-Noor Transport and Customs Clearance for logistics; Al-Sayab Laboratory for soil and construction materials testing; Al-Muntaha for trade and real estate investment; Dhay Al-Janoub Petroleum Services for oilfield support; and two hotels — Shams Al-Basra and Zeinat Al-Hayat — serving business and oil-sector travelers.

The group's core technical capability sits inside AGMACO, which operates under International Mine Action Standards (IMAS) and the IMSMA information management framework and holds official authorization from the Iraqi Mine Action Authority across technical survey, manual demining, mechanical demining, battle area clearance, explosive ordnance disposal, mine risk education, and underwater clearance. AGMACO is the first operator globally to deploy the FREELAND 3000 Swedish-made mechanical demining system and has cumulatively cleared more than 510 million square meters of contaminated land. All group companies operate with a 100% Iraqi workforce, a positioning that functions as both a contractual preference factor in government procurement and a barrier against foreign demining competitors.

South Group generates revenue primarily through project-based contracts awarded via competitive tendering by Iraqi government ministries — notably Oil and Transport — and international oil companies operating in southern Iraq. AGMACO is positioned as the primary demining provider for Iraq's current oil and gas program, supplemented by construction, logistics, materials testing, petroleum services, and hospitality revenue streams. The group has no external institutional investors, no disclosed parent company, and operates exclusively within Iraq, with a stated mission to expand its role in regional reconstruction across the broader Middle East.

Name

South Group

Legal name

South Group Corp

Website

https://southgroupco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

South Group Corp is a privately held Basra-based Iraqi conglomerate of eight subsidiaries delivering post-conflict reconstruction, demining, construction, logistics, petroleum services, materials testing, hospitality, and real estate services to Iraqi government ministries and international oil companies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Diversified Industrial Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Mining (21311), Corporate, Subsidiary, and Regional Managing Offices (551114), Management of Companies and Enterprises (551)

SIC

Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389), General Bldg Contractors - Nonresidential Bldgs (1540), Drilling Oil & Gas Wells (1381)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Rights, Leasing & Land Management (EUALAAAB)

Keywords

• Humanitarian mine clearance
• Post-conflict reconstruction services
• Unexploded ordnance disposal
• Construction contracting services
• Petroleum field services

Headquarters

HQ city

Basra

HQ country

Iraq

HQ region

Middle East

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Construction and Infrastructure Projects: Revenue from construction contracting, general contracting, and civil engineering projects for government and private sector clients in Iraq. Projects include post-conflict reconstruction, infrastructure development, and building projects in Basra and southern Iraq.
2. Demining and Mine Clearance Services: Revenue generated from demining contracts awarded by Iraqi government ministries (Oil, Transport) and international oil and gas companies. Services include technical surveys, manual/mechanical clearance, unexploded ordnance removal, and battle area clearance. Contracts are project-based and awarded through competitive tendering.
3. Hospitality Services: Revenue from hotel operations including Shams Al Basra Hotel and Zeinat Al Hayat Hotel in Basra, serving business travelers, oil company personnel, and tourists.
4. Petroleum Services: Revenue from oilfield and petroleum services provided to oil and gas companies operating in southern Iraq through subsidiary Day Al-Janoub Petroleum Services.
5. Logistics and Customs Clearance: Revenue from transportation, freight forwarding, and customs clearance services through subsidiary Al-Noor Transport and Customs Clearance Company.
6. Real Estate and Investment: Revenue from real estate trading and investment activities through subsidiary Al-Muntaha Trading and Real Estate Investment Company.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

South Group Corp is a diversified Iraqi conglomerate headquartered in Basra that delivers integrated services through eight subsidiaries: humanitarian and commercial mine clearance (AGMACO), general contracting (Barakat Al-Izz), oilfield petroleum services (Dhay Al-Janoub), land transport and customs clearance (Al-Noor), construction materials and soil testing (Al-Sayab), real estate investment (Al-Muntaha), and two hotels (Shams Al-Basra and Zeinat Al-Hayat). Its flagship offering is integrated post-conflict reconstruction—clearing contaminated land and unexploded ordnance, then preparing sites and building infrastructure for government ministries and international oil companies operating in southern Iraq.

Product overview

South Group Corp is a holding company comprising eight subsidiary companies operating across diverse sectors in Iraq. The portfolio includes: AGMACo (mine clearance and humanitarian demining services), Al-Noor (transport and customs clearance), Al-Sayab (construction materials testing laboratory), Al-Muntaha (trade and real estate), Dhay Al-Janoub (oil services), two hotels (Shams Al-Basra and Zeinat Al-Hayat), and Barakat Al-Izz (general contracting). The group primarily serves Iraq's reconstruction, oil and gas, and infrastructure development needs in Basra and southern Iraq.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AGMACo - Arabian Gulf Company for Mine Clearance (شركة الخليج العربي لإزالة الالغام والذخائر غير المنفلقة) Subsidiary offering humanitarian and commercial mine detection and clearance services across Iraq, including technical surveys, manual and mechanical demining, battle area clearance, unexploded ordnance removal, underwater survey and removal, and mine risk education; authorized by the Iraqi Mine Action Authority and selected as the primary demining provider for southern Iraq's oil and gas program.
• Barakat Al-Izz General Contracting Limited (شركة بركات العز للمقاولات العامة المحدودة) Subsidiary providing general contracting services for construction projects in Iraq as part of the South Group construction portfolio.
• Dhay Al-Janoub Petroleum Services Company (ضي الجنوب للخدمات النفطية) Subsidiary providing oilfield and petroleum services supporting the petroleum industry and oil and gas companies operating in southern Iraq.
• Al-Noor Transport and Customs Clearance Company (شركة النور للنقل والتخليص الكمركي) Subsidiary providing land transport and customs clearance services supporting South Group operations and project logistics across Iraq.
• Al-Sayab Laboratory for Soil and Construction Materials Testing (مختبر السياب لفحص التربة والمواد الإنشائية) Subsidiary providing engineering laboratory testing services for soil and construction materials in support of South Group construction and demining projects.
• Al-Muntaha Trading and Real Estate Investment Company (شركة المنتهى للتجارة والاستثمارات العقارية) Subsidiary engaged in trade and real estate investment activities as part of the group's diversified portfolio.
• Shams Al-Basra Hotel (فندق شمس البصرة) Hotel operating in Basra serving visitors, corporate guests, and oil and gas project personnel as part of South Group's hospitality portfolio.
• Zeinat Al-Hayat Basra Hotel (فندق زينة الحياة البصرة) Hotel in Basra, Iraq operated as part of the South Group's hospitality portfolio, providing accommodation for project personnel and visitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 510 million square meters of contaminated land cleared and converted to safe land
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• South Oil Company (شركة نفط الجنوب)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSouth Group and its demining subsidiary AGMACO maintain a strong working relationship with South Oil Company (South Oil), benefiting from public relations support and collaborative engagement. This relationship has been instrumental in AGMACO's establishment and operational growth since 2006.
• Iraqi Armed Forces / Military CommandscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGMACO benefits from support and relationships with Iraqi military forces (قوى الجيش) and police command (قيادة الشرطة), which have helped facilitate its operations and access to contaminated areas for demining activities.
• Iraqi Tribal SheikhscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGMACO maintains relationships with tribal sheikhs (شيوخ العشائر) across Iraq, which support field operations, local knowledge sharing, and community cooperation in demining projects.
• Gulf Company for Environmental Waste Management (شركة الخليج لإدارة ومعالجة المخلفات البيئية)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn affiliated company within the South Group ecosystem that supports AGMACO's demining operations by managing and treating environmental waste, providing comprehensive project support across Iraq.
• Al-Muntaha Company for Construction (شركة المنتهى للإنشاءات)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA subsidiary of South Group that supports AGMACO's operations by providing construction and site preparation services following demining clearance, enabling integrated land development.
• Al-Noor Land Transport and Customs Clearance Company (شركة النور للنقل البري والاخراج الكمركي)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA South Group subsidiary providing land transport and customs clearance services that support AGMACO's logistics and operational deployment across Iraq.
• Sayyab Engineering Laboratory (مختبر السياب الهندسي للفحوصات الإنشائية)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA South Group subsidiary providing construction materials and soil testing services that support the group's engineering and construction projects.
• Shams Al Basra Hotel (فندق شمس البصرة)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA South Group subsidiary hotel in Basra that provides accommodation support for AGMACO's operational personnel and visiting project stakeholders.
• Zeinat Al Hayat Basra Hotel (فندق زينة الحياة البصرة)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA South Group subsidiary hotel in Basra that provides accommodation support for AGMACO's operational teams and international oil company personnel working on nearby projects.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Tetra Tech: Global consulting and engineering firm with major mine action and international development practices. Comparable as a large-scale demining and reconstruction services provider with international-standard certifications.
• KBR: Global engineering, construction, and government services firm with significant Iraq reconstruction and oilfield support work. Comparable as a broader-scope incumbent operating across construction, logistics, and government services in Iraq.

Direct peers

• Janus Global Operations: US-headquartered commercial demining and unexploded ordnance disposal contractor operating in conflict-affected states. Direct peer to AGMACO in humanitarian and commercial mine clearance, sharing IMAS compliance and competitive-tender bidding.
• Safety & Ecology Corporation (SEC): Specialized environmental remediation, UXO, and land-clearing contractor supporting oil & gas, infrastructure, and government clients. Comparable to AGMACO in mine/UXO clearance work for upstream energy operators.
• DynCorp International: Global provider of humanitarian demining and logistics services for US and allied government clients, including Iraq contracts. Comparable to AGMACO on IMAS-standard demining operations and government-tendered execution.

Regional players

• Al-Bayati Group: Iraqi conglomerate with diversified operations including construction, oil services, and trading in southern Iraq. Directly comparable as a Basra-rooted private group serving the Iraqi government and oil sector.
• Salam Pacific Group (SPG): Iraqi group with construction, oil services, and trading operations in Basra. Comparable as a privately-held southern Iraq conglomerate serving the oil sector and reconstruction market.

Others

• Iraq Business News Construction Top Iraqi Contractors: Industry directory of leading Iraqi construction and contracting firms operating in the same southern Iraq reconstruction market. Useful reference for understanding the competitive contractor landscape South Group competes in.

Emerging players

• RPS Group / Stantec Iraq operations: International engineering consultants active in Iraq's oil and infrastructure sector. Comparable on oil-sector support services and reconstruction project advisory in southern Iraq.

Market position

Strengths1 record

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Southgroupco
• Facebookfacebook.com/southgroupco
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-group-corporation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Group