Terra Industries Raises Additional $22M to Protect Africa’s Critical Infrastructure

News World

Published by Stephen Oluwadara at February 16, 2026

Terra Industries, Africa’s Anti-Terrorism Startup, is Securing Critical Infrastructure

Terra Industries was founded in 2024 by Gen Z founders, Nathan Nwachuku (22) and Maxwell Maduka (24). The company designs and manufactures autonomous defense systems that help governments and infrastructure operators monitor, secure, and respond to threats across land, air, and maritime environments.

The Nigerian-based startup’s technology is already deployed to protect power plants, mines, and other critical national assets across multiple African countries.

Africa is on the brink of a turning point. The continent sits on roughly 30% of the world’s critical mineral reserves, the raw materials that power electric vehicles, smartphones, and clean energy. And it’s investing nearly $100 billion every year to build the infrastructure needed to unlock that wealth.

However, most of this development is occurring in remote, hard-to-reach areas, and security hasn’t kept pace. Across Sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahel, the threats are real and growing. Infrastructure is being sabotaged, illegal mining operations are expanding, organized crime networks are entrenching, and terrorism continues to disrupt entire regions.

The result? Supply chains break down. Investors pull back. Governments get stretched thin trying to respond. However, much of this development is happening in remote and sometimes unstable regions where security has not kept pace.

Across Sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahel, infrastructure sabotage, illegal mining, organized crime, and terrorism continue to affect industries and livelihoods, creating a gap between investment and security that disrupts supply chains, weakens investor confidence, and strains government capacity.

“Africa is industrializing faster than any other region, with new mines, refineries, and power plants emerging every month. But none of that progress will matter if we don’t solve the continent’s greatest Achilles’ heel, which is insecurity and terrorism,” Nathan Nwachuku, co-founder and CEO of Terra Industries, said in a press release.

As industrial activity accelerates, the distance between investment and security isn’t shrinking; rather, it’s growing. Africa doesn’t have a wealth problem. It has a protection gap, and closing it will determine whether this industrial moment becomes a lasting boom or a missed opportunity.

To mitigate these risks, many infrastructure operators and governments still depend on imported security systems. Nevertheless, these solutions can be expensive to maintain and are not always suited to local conditions. Furthermore, reliance on external suppliers may introduce geopolitical risks, supply chain disruptions, and concerns over data control.

How The Technology Works

To solve this challenge, Terra Industries is building Africa’s first defense technology prime. The vertically integrated platform of autonomous security systems is designed specifically for the continent’s terrain, scale, and operational realities.

Its product portfolio includes long- and mid-range autonomous drones, sentry towers, and unmanned ground vehicles. These systems are connected through ArtemisOS, Terra’s proprietary software platform that enables real-time threat detection, autonomous mission planning, and coordinated response across vast and difficult environments.

The startup currently secures infrastructure assets valued at approximately $11 billion, with tens of millions in contracts and a robust public- and private-sector pipeline across the continent. The sectors it serves include energy, mineral resources, urban infrastructure, maritime assets, border security, and counterterrorism operations.

Terra Industries designs, builds, and manufactures its systems on the continent. Its engineering team is composed primarily of African talent operating out of a manufacturing facility in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city.

Terra Industries is Leveraging Strong Investors’ Confidence

This funding extends Terra Industries’ previously announced $11.8 million round, bringing total funding in the round to $34 million. The round moved very fast, in under two weeks, reflecting strong investor confidence in the startup’s role in safeguarding critical infrastructure and helping address insecurity and terrorism across Africa.

“We believe in a future where local defense technology prevails, because security is the prerequisite for all economic growth. That’s why Terra Industries is building the African defense prime that secures sovereignty and provides the necessary counterterrorism technology on the continent,” said Brandon Reeves, Partner at Lux Capital.

The additional $22 million will fund expanded manufacturing capacity and accelerate deployments across Nigeria and allied African countries. The funding will also support the growth of Terra’s engineering, software, and business development leadership teams across Africa, London, and San Francisco.

Building a defense company is a capital-intensive endeavor. For context, industry leaders have raised staggering amounts: Anduril has secured over $2.5 billion in funding, Shield AI has raised roughly $1 billion in equity, drone manufacturer Skydio has brought in $740 million, and autonomous vessel maker Saronic has raised approximately $830 million.

Nwachuku noted that Terra, which is currently headquartered in Nigeria, has already begun an unannounced expansion into other African nations since January. The company has secured a growing list of government and commercial contracts, including a partnership with AIC Steel. Further deals are expected to be revealed later this year.

Main Image: Nathan Nwachukuw and Maxwell Maduka, Terra Industries Co-founders. Image Credit: Terra Industries