Terra Industries unveils interceptor drones, mine-clearing vehicles

Technology

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — Nigerian technology startup Terra Industries has unveiled interceptor drones and mine‑clearing unmanned vehicles as part of new defence systems the military says could bolster anti‑insurgency operations. The announcement was made on April 27, 2026, at Terra’s Abuja facility during an event with Nigerian Military officials in attendance.

Terra CEO Nathan Nwachukwu said: “We are unveiling new defence systems such as our interceptor UAVs, our minesweepers, ground vehicles that can detect IEDs, and our battlefield intelligence software.”

Major General Babatunde Alaya, head of Nigeria’s Defence Industries Corporation (DICON), emphasized the importance of collaboration with Terra Industries, citing high troop casualties from improvised explosive devices.

Terra had earlier announced the construction of a 34,000‑square‑foot drone manufacturing facility in Accra, Ghana, which will serve as its primary regional base for drone and counter‑drone systems. This follows Terra’s $34 million funding round to expand manufacturing, accelerate deployments, and grow engineering teams across Nigeria and allied African countries.

The new facility, Pax‑2, will complement Terra’s 15,000 sq. ft. Pax‑1 flagship in Abuja. Once fully operational, Pax‑2 will be the largest drone factory in Africa, with an expected annual capacity of 50,000 units by 2028. The Ghana plant will create 120 engineering jobs and operate continuously to meet rising demand for systems such as the Archer VTOL (long‑range surveillance and strike), the Iroko UAV (rapid tactical deployment), and Kama, a high‑speed interceptor drone capable of 300 km/h for counter‑drone defence.

Nwachukwu said the expansion advances Terra’s mission to build Africa’s sovereign defence‑industrial base amid growing threats from non‑state actors deploying modified commercial drones in conflicts across the Sahel and sub‑Saharan Africa. “The only way Africa can have lasting peace is by uniting to build sovereign defence, not by relying on foreign security architecture,” he said.

Founded in 2024, Terra Industries develops integrated land, air, and maritime systems powered by ArtemisOS, its unified software platform for large‑scale security operations. The company serves critical sectors including energy, mineral resources, urban infrastructure, maritime assets, border security, and counterterrorism, working with governments and strategic partners across Africa and internationally.