Terra Industries Raises Additional $18m, Closes Seed Round at $52m

By Benson Daniel

Nigerian defence technology startup Terra Industries has raised an additional $18 million, bringing its total seed funding to about $52 million as the company accelerates manufacturing and expands its operations beyond Africa.

The latest funding represents another extension of the startup’s seed round, following an initial $11.75 million raise in January and a $22 million extension in February. The latest investment brings the company’s cumulative seed financing to approximately $52 million.

The latest funding attracted backing from existing investors including 8VC, Silent Ventures, Nova Global, Belief Capital and SV Angel, while Norleo Space Investments and angel investor Grant Gordon also participated.

Founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka, Terra Industries develops autonomous defence systems designed for surveillance, infrastructure protection and security operations.

Its product portfolio includes the Archer vertical takeoff and landing drone, Iroko quadcopter, Kallon sentry tower and Kama counter drone interceptor, alongside other autonomous systems.

The company says its technology is already being used to protect critical infrastructure and other assets, while it expects contract bookings to exceed $100 million by the end of 2026.

A significant portion of the new funding will support the expansion of Terra’s manufacturing operations in Ghana. The company is developing a 34,000 square foot facility in Accra, known as Pax 2, which is expected to become one of the largest drone manufacturing facilities on the continent.

The Ghana facility is projected to eventually produce up to 50,000 autonomous systems annually, complementing Terra’s existing manufacturing operations in Abuja.

The company is also preparing for international expansion, with plans to establish offices in London, San Francisco and Washington. The expansion is expected to support its efforts to enter markets outside Africa, including countries in the Gulf, South America and South Asia.

Terra’s expansion comes as demand for autonomous surveillance and defence technologies increases globally, driven by growing security concerns and the need for governments and critical infrastructure operators to improve monitoring and protection capabilities.

The company has positioned itself around developing defence systems suited to African operating environments while maintaining manufacturing capacity on the continent.

Chief Executive Officer Nathan Nwachuku said the company’s mission, which initially focused on protecting Africa and its critical infrastructure, has expanded to include other regions of the Global South facing similar security challenges.

The latest investment also places Terra among the most heavily funded defence technology startups to emerge from Africa, highlighting growing investor interest in the continent’s indigenous security technology sector.

With the new capital, the company is expected to focus on increasing production capacity, expanding its international footprint and preparing for its next stage of fundraising.

Terra has indicated that a Series A round is being considered to finance high volume manufacturing and further international expansion as it seeks to turn its African manufacturing base into a platform for serving global markets.