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Key Developments

Terra Industries to Establish Africa’s Largest Drone Factory in Ghana

| Article

Nigerian defence technology company Terra Industries has unveiled plans to build what will be Africa’s largest drone manufacturing facility, marking a major expansion of its operations beyond Nigeria.

The new plant, a 34,000-square-foot facility located in Accra and named Pax-2, will serve as the company’s main production hub for drone and counter-drone systems across the region.

Construction is nearing completion, with the company targeting full operations by the end of June 2026.

Once operational, the factory is expected to significantly boost Terra’s manufacturing capacity, with output projected to reach 50,000 units annually by 2028.

The project is also set to generate around 120 engineering jobs in Ghana, reinforcing the country’s growing role in advanced manufacturing.

The Accra facility will more than double the footprint of Terra’s existing 15,000-square-foot plant in Abuja, Nigeria, which currently serves as its primary production base.

The expansion comes after the startup secured $34 million in funding across two rounds in 2026.

The initial $11.75 million investment in January was led by venture firm 8VC, while a follow-on $22 million round was backed by Lux Capital.

The company said the capital will be used to scale production and expand engineering capacity across multiple African markets.

At the Ghana facility, Terra plans to manufacture several of its core systems, including the Archer VTOL drone for long-range surveillance and strike missions, the Iroko UAV for rapid tactical deployment, and Kama, a newly developed high-speed interceptor designed to counter hostile drones.

The Kama platform can reach speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour and is engineered for large-scale production.

The move reflects a broader shift in Africa’s security landscape, where the use of drones by non-state actors has increased, particularly across the Sahel region.

Armed groups linked to extremist networks have adopted modified commercial drones for attacks, mirroring tactics seen in conflicts in Eastern Europe and the Middle East.

Terra’s leadership argues that the growing threat environment is accelerating demand for locally built, integrated defence systems that combine surveillance, electronic warfare, and interception capabilities.

“The only way Africa can have lasting peace is by uniting to build sovereign defence, not by relying on foreign security architecture,” said Nathan Nwachuku, co-founder and chief executive officer of Terra Industries. “We need to control our own destiny by building the tools and systems needed to protect ourselves.”

He added that Ghana was selected for the project due to its strategic positioning and talent pool.

“We chose Ghana for Pax-2 because of its talent, strategic position, and political will to become a serious defence exporter and prove that this can be done at scale,” Nwachuku said.

Founded in 2024 by Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka, Terra Industries has rapidly positioned itself as a key player in Africa’s emerging defence technology sector.

The company develops autonomous systems designed to protect critical infrastructure such as power plants, mines, and oil facilities, which are increasingly vulnerable to attacks.

The new factory also builds on recent partnerships, including a joint venture with Nigeria’s Defence Industries Corporation aimed at strengthening local production, technology transfer, and supply chain integration.

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