Terra Industries, a Nigerian defense technology firm, announced on 19 April 2026 that it has commenced construction of a new 34,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Accra, Ghana. The plant, designated Pax-2, will serve as the company’s primary regional base for producing autonomous aerial systems and counter-drone technology, and will be the largest drone manufacturing plant in Africa.
The facility is currently in its final construction phase and is scheduled to become fully operational by the end of June 2026. This move marks the first international manufacturing expansion for the Abuja-based startup, which was founded in 2024. It more than doubles the footprint of the company’s 15,000-square-foot flagship factory in Abuja, Nigeria.
The expansion follows a successful $34 million funding cycle completed in early 2026. This capital includes an initial $11.75 million round led by the United States venture firm 8VC in January. A subsequent $22 million follow-on round, led by Lux Capital in February, brought the total to $34 million and pushed the company’s valuation into the hundreds of millions. This total makes Terra the most-funded defense technology startup in Africa. Partners at Lux Capital have stated that security is the prerequisite for all economic growth. Other investors include Resilience17 Capital, Nova Global, and Silent Ventures.
Chief Executive Officer Nathan Nwachuku and co-founder Maxwell Maduka intend to use the funds to accelerate engineering recruitment and production capacity across allied African nations, and to use the new facility to scale production of their proprietary drone platforms. The factory is expected to create 120 engineering jobs in Ghana and targets a combined annual output of 50,000 units by 2028. Nwachuku cited Ghana’s “strategic position” and “political will” to become a defense exporter as key factors in the decision to build in Accra.
INTEGRATED AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS AND THE KAMA INTERCEPTOR
The Pax-2 facility will focus on three primary Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms: The Archer, the Iroko, and the Kama. Each system integrates with ArtemisOS, a proprietary software suite that provides autonomous mission planning and real-time threat detection. This software layer allows multiple assets to coordinate in complex environments where traditional communications often fail or are unreliable.
The Archer is a long-range Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) platform designed for surveillance and infrastructure protection. It is built to be modular and quiet, allowing it to perform reconnaissance missions over power plants and mines without attracting attention.
For tactical ground support, Terra produces the Iroko, a modular quadcopter optimized for first response. The Iroko balances a high payload capacity with an extended flight range, providing ground units with immediate situational awareness. Its design emphasizes ease of deployment and rapid field repairs, making it suitable for border patrol and facility inspection.
The most specialized addition to the lineup is the Kama, a high-speed interceptor drone engineered to reach speeds of 300 km/h. Unlike traditional air defense systems that use expensive guided missiles, the Kama acts as a kinetic interceptor. It neutralizes hostile drones through direct physical collision or short-range disruption. This kinetic approach offers a lower-cost alternative to traditional missile-based air defenses. By mass-producing these interceptors in the new Accra facility, Terra intends to provide African militaries with a viable defense against the swarm tactics currently used by insurgent groups and to provide a regional alternative to foreign-made defense systems.
The move to Ghana also reflects commercial realities regarding manufacturing incentives. Reports indicate that Ghana’s free zones regime offers tax holidays and duty exemptions that were not accessible at the same scale in Nigeria. These financial benefits allow the company to reinvest capital in research and development of its land-based autonomous systems and in further software integration.
Despite the move into Ghana, Terra maintains deep ties to the Nigerian defense establishment. In February 2026, the company signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) to establish a joint venture for local assembly and training. This partnership, executed under the DICON Act 2023, integrates the startup into the formal defense manufacturing structure of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
The company has also strengthened its leadership by appointing Nnamdi Chife as Vice President of Military Relations. Chife is a specialist in counter-insurgency and will oversee the alignment of Terra’s technology with the operational needs of African militaries.
Nwachuku has stated that lasting peace on the continent depends on building indigenous defense capabilities rather than relying on foreign security architecture. By controlling the design, software, and manufacturing of these systems, Terra aims to provide African governments with tools that are not subject to external sanctions or supply chain disruptions.
Africa currently attracts roughly $100 billion in annual infrastructure investment, much of which is targeted at remote regions with significant mineral reserves. Protecting these assets requires a new category of autonomous security tools that can operate without constant human oversight.
The factory is expected to deliver its first batch of Accra-built interceptors by the third quarter of 2026. This delivery will likely be followed by further field testing of the Kama platform in active conflict zones. As the June opening approaches, Terra Industries continues to expand its engineering teams to support the integration of its multi-domain autonomous assets.