Nigerian defence-technology startup Terra Industries has raised another $18 million, taking its seed funding to $52 million amid preparation to open a drone factory in Ghana and launch its first international office in London.

Nathan Nwachuku, 22, and Maxwell Maduka, 24 are founders of the Abuja-based startup Terra Industries.

Its 34,000-square-foot Pax-2 factory in Ghana is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter and is expected to produce up to 50,000 aerial systems a year by 2028.

The funding gives the Nigerian company more capital to manufacture in Africa while expanding its sales and operations beyond the continent.

The company said the latest funding will support manufacturing, engineering, operations and business-development teams, as well as deployments across Africa and other markets in the Global South.

Terra’s Pax-2 factory in Ghana is scheduled to open in the fourth quarter. The 34,000-square-foot facility is expected to become Africa’s largest drone factory once operational, according to the company.

It is a significant next step after Terra’s funding reached $34 million in February, when the startup said it was scaling production of drones, surveillance towers and unmanned ground vehicles.

The Ghana facility is a more defined version of the company’s earlier plan to expand its manufacturing base beyond Nigeria. It will follow Terra’s 15,000-square-foot flagship factory in Abuja.

Terra says its systems are already used to help protect power plants, mines and other critical infrastructure assets valued at about $11 billion across multiple African countries.

The latest raise also comes as African governments and infrastructure operators look for locally built alternatives in a sector where the continent still receives a small share of global defence-technology funding.

From Abuja to Accra and London

Terra was founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka. It develops autonomous aerial, land and maritime systems, including drones, interceptor drones, surveillance towers and unmanned ground vehicles.

Terra’s additional capital was provided by existing investors 8VC, Silent Ventures, Nova Global, Belief Capital and SV Angel. Norleo Space Investments and Grant Gordon also joined the round, Terra said in its funding announcement.

The company will open an office in London while keeping manufacturing in Africa. It plans further expansion across the Gulf, South America and South Asia.

The factory timetable

Pax-2 is expected to produce up to 50,000 systems a year by 2028. That figure is a company target, not current output.

The new factory is designed to produce Terra’s aerial-systems portfolio. Its planned capacity is more than three times the size of the company’s existing Abuja factory by floor area.

The project gives Ghana a direct role in the company’s next production phase, while Nigeria remains home to its original factory and founding team.

The funding does not mean the factory is already operational. Terra has said Pax-2 is due to open in the fourth quarter, and the planned annual capacity is tied to its 2028 target.

…project ‘ll create 100,000 jobs, Oyebanji assures

The President of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has hailed the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Biodun Oyebanji, for sustaining and promoting the spirit behind the concept of Ekiti Knowledge Zone(EKZ), saying the project has a good prognosis of becoming a viable Nigeria’s hub of Innovations, research and skill development in the future.

The President described Ekiti as the home of scholars and posited that the EKZ, as a state government propelled investment, is capable of radicalising the potentials of talented Nigerians and serve as a launchpad for their relevance at the global stage.

The President spoke on Tuesday, during the turning of the sod for the Ekiti Knowledge Zone located at Ago Araromi in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State Capital.

The President, who was represented by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, said education remained the most viable inheritance of Ekiti people and commended Governor Oyebanji for demonstrating visionary leadership in governing the State through strategic alliances with critical stakeholders.

Describing the EKZ project as a masterpiece, the President said it was in alignment with Singaporean vision that any economy can be unlocked through education and technological innovation, assuring Governor Oyebanji and the entire citizens of the federal Government’s support to make the project thrive.

“Under President Tinubu’s administration, we are gradually moving from dependency to sustainability and self sufficiency. We are determined to encourage research, innovation and technological development to create jobs for our teeming youths.

“We are focused about this and I thank Governor Biodun Oyebanji for his leadership and initiative”.

Also speaking at the event , Governor Oyebanji revealed that the Ekiti Knowledge Zone was conceptualised to unlock the hidden potentials of Ekiti citizens and make the state the frontliner in skill, innovation, research and human capital development worldwide.

The governor said Ekiti has been known to be intellectual hub and for having the highest number of Professors in the country, who deserves serious attention in the area of innovation.

He added that the project commenced August 12, 2013 under Governor Kayode Fayemi-led government, with the intention to build the potentials of Ekiti citizens.

Oyebanji stated that he decided to sustain the EKZ in demonstration of the continuity agenda of his government as well as making significant investment in technology, industrial development, healthcare , research, science and innovation, and many other pivotal areas of the economy that would make Ekiti epicentre of development .

“This project is part of the 30 years Development Plan of this administration in its efforts to unlock the economic potentials of our state. And we are happy that we had been able to raise $80 million financial capital through the federal government and African Development Bank. We appreciate President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and AfDB for approving the deal.

“You could all remember that that the EKZ was designated as a Free Trade Zone by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari. This EKZ is not only going to be the giant of innovation in Africa, but it represents a world class economic ecosystem that will serve as a catalyst for industrial development, innovation, job creation, opportunities for technology driven industries and skill acquisition platform.

“I am glad to inform you that the first phase when fully completed, over 20,000 jobs will be created in line with the local contents policy of our administration, while the entire phases is to generate about 100,000 jobs covering areas like research, science, technology, industry and education development”.

The Chief Executive Officer of CCECC, the contractor handling the project, Eric Shem, applauded the federal, state and African Development Bank for their partnership, saying their lofty contributions demonstrated how committed they are to the development of the human capital in the country.

Shem said the programme will change the future of the country by attracting investments and build the human capital, assuring that the project will be completed in record time to create employment opportunities and to meet other demands.

High profile figures at the ceremony were: the Governor of Ondo State, Mr. Lucky Ayedatiwa, Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs Monisade Afuye, Senate Leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, Speaker of the House of Assembly, Rt Hon Adeoye Aribasoye, former Governor Segun Oni, Senator Cyril Fasuyi, Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Hon Ibrahim Masari, the Onijan of Ijan Ekiti, Oba Adebanji Aladesuyi, commissioners, Special Advisers, political and community leaders, among others.

The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has been denied access to his old office at the Government House in Benin, the state capital.

Shaibu arrived at the Government House on Monday morning but met the gate leading to his office under lock and key.

He says he has yet to receive a formal letter from the governor’s office and that, according to him, is the proper channel to transmit a directive pertaining to the relocation to a new office

“Up till now, I don’t have any official communication that I should relocate. The only people that have official communication are my civil servants. The civil servants have official communication but I don’t. As I am speaking to you now, I am standing by the gate,” he said while on a phone call to a yet-to-be-identified person.

The Edo State Governor has not reacted to the development, but sources close to him say Shaibu has relocated his office to a new location outside of the Government House and was not expected at the old office.

They also explained that there was no meeting scheduled for Monday so the Deputy Governor was not expected at the Government House.

If a meeting had been scheduled, they said arrangements would have been made and the Deputy Governor would have been allowed to attend.

Last week, a letter said to be from the office of the Head of Service, Anthony Okungbowa, was reported to have been sent to the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor directing Shuaibu to relocate to a new office situated at No 7, Dennis Osadebey Avenue, GRA, Benin City.

However, sources close to Edo’s number two citizen claimed that the new office is abandoned and in dire need of rehabilitation.