Terra Industries, a Nigeria-based defense technology startup, has raised $11.75 million in a funding round led by Silicon Valley venture firm 8VC. The company aims to scale its autonomous systems and software solutions designed to help African governments and businesses protect critical infrastructure from increasing security threats across the continent.
The funding round also saw participation from Valor Equity Partners, Lux Capital, SV Angel, and Nova Global, as well as African investors such as Tofino Capital, Kaleo Ventures, and DFS Lab. Terra previously raised an $800,000 pre-seed round and said investor interest grew after the company gained international attention following a CNN feature.
Founded by 22-year-old Nathan Nwachuku and 24-year-old Maxwell Maduka, Terra Industries designs and deploys multi-domain defense systems that cover air, land, and eventually sea operations. The systems are built to monitor, detect, and respond to threats such as terrorism, sabotage, and armed attacks on critical assets. The company is headquartered in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
According to Nwachuku, who serves as Terra’s chief executive officer, the company was created to address what he described as Africa’s most significant constraint to sustained growth — insecurity. He explained that while the continent is experiencing industrial expansion and has a growing young population, security challenges continue to threaten development progress.
“The goal is to build Africa’s first defense prime, to build autonomous defense systems and other technologies that protect our critical infrastructure and resources from armed attacks. We want to take the defense of our continent’s resources and infrastructure into Africa’s own hands,” Nwachuku said.
Terra’s products include both long- and short-range drones for aerial surveillance, ground drones, and fixed surveillance towers designed to cover large areas around sensitive sites. The company is also developing maritime technologies to secure offshore facilities like oil rigs and underwater pipelines.
At the center of Terra’s operations is its proprietary software platform, ArtemisOS. The platform collects and analyzes data from the deployed systems in real time. When potential threats are detected, ArtemisOS alerts response units such as security agencies, helping them act faster and more effectively.
Nwachuku said that many African countries face challenges not because they lack weapons but because of limited access to sovereign intelligence. Much of the intelligence data used by African states still comes from foreign powers in the West, China, and Russia. Terra’s long-term goal is to create locally owned intelligence and defense infrastructure to reduce this dependence.
The company’s workforce reflects its defense focus. Around 40 percent of Terra’s engineers are former members of the Nigerian military. Co-founder and chief technology officer Maduka previously served as a Nigerian Navy engineer and had started a drone company when he was 19. 8VC’s Alex Moore, who specializes in defense investing, now sits on Terra’s board, while Nigeria’s Vice Air Marshal Ayo Jolasinmi serves as an advisor.
Terra has already begun generating revenue, earning more than $2.5 million from commercial customers, according to the company. It said it is currently protecting assets worth about $11 billion, including hydropower plants, mines, and power infrastructure, with most of its clients based in Nigeria. The company also confirmed it recently secured its first federal government contract but declined to share specific details.
Terra’s business model includes selling its hardware systems to both government and commercial clients, with recurring annual fees charged for data processing and storage. The company said this model supports sustainability and long-term engagement with clients.
With the new funding, Terra plans to expand its manufacturing capacity across Africa, build more defense factories, and strengthen its artificial intelligence and software development teams. Although the company intends to open software offices in San Francisco and London, it stated that manufacturing will remain in Africa to encourage job creation and support local capabilities.
“We are the first truly Pan-African defense company. If Africa is to break free from the constraints that have held it back, then the core infrastructure and resources that drive its economies must be fully protected,” Nwachuku said.
As security challenges continue to shape Africa’s economic and industrial growth, Terra Industries is positioning itself as a key player in developing homegrown defense technology. The company believes that by building and operating these systems within Africa, it can contribute to a safer and more self-reliant industrial future for the continent.
