In January, Terra Industries was a young Nigerian company building autonomous security systems for mines, power plants and other critical infrastructure.
Eight months later, it has raised $51.7 million in seed funding, making it the most-funded defence-tech startup in Africa. Its backers include investors such as 8VC and Lux Capital, which also invest in defence and security technology outside Africa.
The company was founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka, who were 22 and 24, respectively, when Terra began building its current business. Since then, it has moved from an Abuja manufacturing base to a wider African production network, while attracting investors from the US and expanding its operations beyond Nigeria.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
What Terra Industries Actually Builds
Terra makes autonomous security hardware and the software that runs it. Its product lineup spans long- and mid-range surveillance drones, interceptor drones designed to counter other aircraft, fixed sentry systems, and unmanned ground vehicles.
All of these systems run through ArtemisOS, Terra's own software platform for real-time threat detection and coordinated response. The platform is designed to allow different systems, such as drones, ground vehicles and fixed surveillance equipment, to share information and respond to threats through one system.
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