In a major boost for African technology and security, Nigerian defence-technology startup Terra Industries has secured an additional $22 million in funding just weeks after a record investment round. This fresh capital brings its total raised to $34 million and pushes the company’s valuation above the $100 million mark, a major milestone for a young technology venture on the continent.
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Young Founders, Big Vision
Terra Industries was established in 2024 by two young Nigerian entrepreneurs: 22-year-old Nathan Nwachuku and 24-year-old Maxwell Maduka. Their vision was simple yet ambitious: to build advanced defence technology designed for African nations to monitor and respond to security threats without relying on expensive, imported systems from outside the continent.
The startup develops and manufactures autonomous defence systems, including long-range drones, unmanned ground vehicles, and sentry towers. These systems are integrated through a proprietary software platform, ArtemisOS, that enables real-time monitoring, threat detection, and coordinated responses over challenging terrain. This platform has already been deployed to protect critical infrastructure such as power plants and mines valued at about $11 billion across several African countries.
This blend of hardware and software positions Terra as more than just a startup. It aims to become what many in the defence industry describe as a defence prime, a vertically integrated technology leader capable of producing and managing complex security systems for national and commercial clients alike.
Accelerated Funding and Support
The new $22 million funding round was led by Lux Capital, a venture firm known for backing deep technology companies. Existing investors such as 8VC and Nova Global also participated, along with Resilience17 Capital, a fund founded by Olugbenga Agboola, the CEO of Flutterwave. New backers included Belief Capital and Tofino Capital. In a rare twist of cross-industry support, international angel investors such as actor Jared Leto joined the round.
What stands out about this round is not just the amount of money, but the speed at which it was completed. For most African startups, especially in hardware and defence tech, follow-on funding can take months or even years to organise. Terra completed this extension in under two weeks, a sign of strong investor confidence in its business model, early revenue, and commercial traction.
According to leadership at Terra, investor interest intensified after the company demonstrated strong early performance. It had already secured a federal government contract, generated over $2.5 million in commercial revenue, and gained traction with customers across both public and private sectors. These milestones helped create urgency among investors to increase their commitments quickly.
Strategy for Growth and Local Capacity
Terra says it will use the new funds to accelerate manufacturing, expand operations across Africa, and build out senior teams in key global hubs, including London and San Francisco. A key part of its growth strategy is to deepen its manufacturing footprint on the continent, ensuring that the technology and the jobs that come with it remain rooted in Africa.
One of Terra’s strategic moves includes a partnership with AIC Steel to establish a joint manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia. This facility will focus on producing surveillance infrastructure and security systems, marking the company’s first major manufacturing expansion outside Africa.
Locally in Abuja, Terra operates a 15,000-square-foot facility where it builds and tests its autonomous systems. The new round of funding is expected to help scale production further and support the deployment of these systems across high-risk regions such as the Sahel and parts of sub-Saharan Africa where security challenges remain acute.
Changing the Narrative on African Tech
The success of Terra Industries is part of a broader shift in Africa’s technology landscape. For years, the startup ecosystem on the continent has been dominated by sectors such as fintech, agriculture technology, and e-commerce. Defence technology, especially that involving hardware manufacturing and integrated software, has been less visible due to the high costs and technical complexity involved.
Terra’s achievements challenge assumptions about where African innovation can thrive. By marrying cutting-edge tech with local knowledge of terrain and security needs, the company is offering a new model for sovereignty in defence infrastructure. Rather than depending on foreign equipment and contractors, African nations could increasingly look to homegrown solutions that are tailored to their unique security landscapes.
The company’s co-founders have spoken openly about the importance of African-led innovation in tackling the continent’s security challenges. “Africa is industrialising faster than any other region,” Nwachuku has said, “But none of that progress will matter if we don’t solve the continent’s greatest Achilles heel, insecurity and terrorism.” This mindset has helped Terra position itself not just as a business but as a strategic partner for governments, infrastructure operators, and investors seeking sustainable solutions.
Looking Ahead
With its fresh investment and growing portfolio of clients, Terra Industries is poised to reshape how defence technology is developed and deployed in Africa. Its ambitions extend beyond protecting critical infrastructure. The company is racing to build autonomous systems that can respond to threats across land, air, and coastal environments, adapting to the diverse needs of African nations facing complex security situations.
As Terra continues to expand, its success could inspire other African tech ventures to pursue bold, capital-intensive solutions that were once considered beyond reach on the continent. If it succeeds, the company may not only lead in defence technology but also shift global perceptions about African innovation, proving that locally built systems can meet local challenges and compete on the international stage.
In the heart of Abuja and beyond, this startup, founded by two Gen-Z leaders, is turning local ambition into global significance, raising the bar for what Africa’s tech ecosystem can achieve.
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