An African technology start-up is seeking to reduce the continent’s dependence on imported defence equipment by developing and manufacturing military surveillance systems locally.
Terra Industries, founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka, operates production facilities in Abuja, Nigeria, and Accra, Ghana, where it designs drones, autonomous surveillance towers, and unmanned ground vehicles.
Unlike many manufacturers that assemble imported components, the company says it develops its own software, airframes, propellers, and lithium-ion battery packs, with more than 70 percent of its production inputs sourced locally.
According to the company, its technologies are currently being used to protect infrastructure worth about $11 billion, including oil refineries, power plants, lithium and gold mines, and other strategic facilities across eight African countries and Canada.
Terra says its products are designed to help address growing security concerns such as border surveillance, maritime security, protection of energy infrastructure, and safeguarding mining operations.
Chief Executive Officer Nathan Nwachuku said several African countries are increasingly looking for locally developed solutions to tackle piracy, illegal fishing, insurgency, and attacks on critical infrastructure.
The company also plans to expand its manufacturing capacity, revealing that its Ghana facility is expected to become Africa’s largest drone production hub by 2028, with the ability to manufacture up to 50,000 drones annually.
Beyond Africa, Terra hopes to supply defence technologies to countries in South Asia and South America that also rely heavily on foreign military equipment.
The company’s growth has attracted significant investor interest. Terra recently secured $34 million in seed funding, one of the largest early-stage investments recorded by an African technology company.
The funding round included investments from international venture capital firms with experience backing companies involved in advanced manufacturing and defence technology.
The rise of companies such as Terra comes as drones play an increasingly important role in security operations across Africa. Armed groups operating in parts of the Sahel have expanded their use of drones for surveillance and attacks, creating new challenges for security forces.
To address this threat, Terra developed the Kama interceptor drone, which the company says can reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour and is designed to intercept hostile drones where conventional air defence systems may be unavailable or too costly.
Despite the company’s technological progress, experts argue that manufacturing military equipment alone does not guarantee defence independence.
Analysts say true defence sovereignty will require strong institutions, transparent procurement systems, effective regulation, and public oversight to ensure that locally produced technologies are managed responsibly and sustainably.
