African Startup Terra Builds 34,000 sq ft Drone Factory

A Nigerian defense tech startup is doubling down on a bold bet: that Africa can build its own high-tech weapons instead of buying them from overseas.

Terra Industries just announced construction of a 34,000 square foot drone manufacturing facility in Accra, Ghana. The factory, called Pax-2, will produce surveillance drones, tactical deployment aircraft, and high-speed counter-drone interceptors that can reach 186 miles per hour.

The timing couldn't be more critical. Across the Sahel region, militant groups conducted at least 89 drone attacks between 2023 and 2025, using cheap commercial drones rigged with explosives. Eleven African countries have now faced drone attacks from non-state actors, but most nations lack the technology to defend against them.

Terra's solution is homegrown hardware paired with proprietary software, sold on a subscription model similar to American defense companies. The startup already protects $11 billion worth of infrastructure across eight African countries, including power plants, lithium mines, and oil facilities.

Founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachukwu and Maxwell Maduka, Terra raised an impressive $34 million in 2026 alone. That makes it the most-funded defense technology company on the continent.

The Ghana factory will be fully operational by June 2026 and will more than double Terra's current manufacturing capacity. By 2028, it's projected to hit 50,000 units per year while creating 120 engineering jobs in Accra.

The Ripple Effect

The choice of Ghana over Nigeria sends a powerful message about Africa's manufacturing future. CEO Nathan Nwachukwu cited Ghana's talent pool, strategic location, and political commitment to becoming a defense exporter as key reasons for the expansion.

Terra isn't abandoning Nigeria though. The company signed an agreement with Nigeria's Defense Industries Corporation in February to establish a joint venture for local assembly and training. The goal is building defense manufacturing ecosystems across multiple countries, not just one headquarters.

This approach challenges decades of dependence on imported military technology. African nations have historically purchased defense equipment from the US, Europe, China, or Russia, sending billions of dollars overseas while local engineering talent went untapped.

Now Terra is flipping that script. The company is betting that African engineers can design, build, and maintain advanced drone systems that meet the continent's unique security needs. With real revenue, government partnerships, and a regional manufacturing base taking shape, that bet is starting to look smart.

Africa's defense industrial future is being written in Accra, and it's made in Africa.