A Nigerian startup that has become one of Africa's most closely watched defence technology companies is taking its drone manufacturing operation across the border, with a new facility that signals both commercial ambition and a direct response to a worsening regional security crisis.
Terrahaptix Inc., also known as Terra Industries, a Nigerian drone-making startup, will open its first factory abroad in Ghana, where it will build mid-range pilotless aircraft and defence systems in response to increasing Islamist-militant activity in West Africa. The facility in Ghana's capital, Accra, will serve as the firm's primary regional manufacturing base for its drone and counter-drone systems, the company announced on Monday.
The announcement comes after the firm raised $34 million from investors, including Joe Lonsdale of 8VC, the venture firm co-founded by the Palantir co-founder and Lux Capital.
The Ghana plant marks a significant expansion for a company that has moved fast since its founding just two years ago. Terra Industries launched what it calls the largest drone factory in Africa in February 2025, a 15,000-square-foot facility on the outskirts of Abuja capable of producing 30,000 drones a year, including long-range surveillance drones, quadcopters for first response and data collection, and small self-driving vehicles for ground surveillance.
The Accra facility extends that footprint into a market the company already knows well. Terra's systems are currently deployed to protect infrastructure assets valued at approximately $11 billion across Africa, including hydropower facilities in Nigeria and gold and lithium mining operations in Ghana.
Terra Industries was founded in 2024 by two young Nigerians, Maxwell Maduka and Nathan Nwachuku, and has built its product suite around ArtemisOS, a proprietary AI-powered software platform that collects surveillance data from multiple systems, analyses it in real time, and alerts response teams to detected threats.
By manufacturing locally, the company claims its initial hardware purchases are up to 55% cheaper than international competitors, with savings passed directly to clients.
The security context driving the expansion is stark. The majority of Terra's revenue comes from equipment supplied to African government agencies, with the Sahel region's surge in Islamist insurgency creating a growing pipeline of demand that Silicon Valley investors are now betting on.
Terra has stated its ambition to build a network of drone factories across the continent over the next three years. The Ghana factory is the first step in that continental manufacturing plan and a signal that Africa's defence tech revolution is beginning to industrialise on its own terms.
Stay Informed: Visit our website for Breaking News, Intelligence, and Insight.