Nigerian defence-technology company Terra Industries has raised an additional $18 million in seed funding, taking its total seed capital to $52 million as it prepares to expand manufacturing and autonomous defence deployments across Africa and other emerging markets.
The latest funding round includes returning investors 8VC, Silent Ventures, Nova Global, Belief Capital and SV Angel, alongside new investors Norleo Space Investments and angel investor Grant Gordon.
Terra plans to use the new capital to increase production capacity, accelerate deployments and expand its engineering, operations and business development teams. The company also plans to strengthen its manufacturing presence in Africa while building an international network to support its global expansion.
Ghana Becomes Key Manufacturing Hub
Ghana is set to become a major part of Terra Industries’ manufacturing strategy, with the company preparing to open a 34,000-square-foot facility in Accra.
The Pax-2 manufacturing facility is expected to become operational in the fourth quarter of 2026 and will be more than twice the size of Terra’s existing plant in Abuja, Nigeria.
The company aims to reach annual production capacity of 50,000 systems by 2028, supporting expected demand for autonomous and counter-drone technologies.
The expansion could also create opportunities for local engineering and manufacturing talent as Terra increases its African production footprint.
Terra Targets Autonomous Defence Market
Founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka, Terra Industries develops autonomous systems designed to protect critical infrastructure across land, air and maritime environments.
Its portfolio includes drones, interceptor systems, sentry towers and unmanned ground vehicles. The company’s Archer drone is designed for long-range operations, with Terra reporting a range of up to 1,000 kilometres and endurance of up to 13 hours.
The company also produces the Kama interceptor, which it says can reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour, alongside Kallon, a solar-powered sentry tower equipped with sensors and edge-processing capabilities.
Its Iroko quadcopter is designed for intelligence and surveillance operations.
These systems are coordinated through ArtemisOS, Terra’s proprietary software platform, which connects its autonomous technologies and supports threat detection, mission planning and responses.
African Manufacturing at the Centre of Expansion
Terra’s decision to expand manufacturing in Ghana and Nigeria reflects its strategy of keeping production and data capabilities closer to the markets it serves.
The company is targeting customers across Africa as well as markets in the Gulf, South America and South Asia. It plans to use its African manufacturing base as part of a broader international expansion strategy.
Terra is also preparing to open its first international office in London, providing access to defence institutions, technology talent and potential international partnerships. The company also plans operations in San Francisco and Washington, DC.
The expansion comes as demand for locally developed defence technologies increases across emerging markets. Terra is positioning its systems as solutions for governments and organisations seeking autonomous technologies for critical infrastructure protection and security operations.
Building Africa’s Defence-Tech Capacity
The latest investment gives Terra additional resources to scale production while maintaining its focus on African manufacturing.
With the new Ghana facility, expanded operations in Nigeria and planned international offices, the company is seeking to build an African defence-technology manufacturing platform capable of serving both regional and international markets.
The planned expansion also highlights the growing role of technology, automation and local manufacturing in Africa’s defence and security industries.