Terra Industries, a Nigeria-based autonomous systems developer, has raised $34 million in fresh capital — including $22 million secured within two weeks — to boost its manufacturing footprint.
The investment round was spearheaded by Lux Capital, alongside participation from current investors and private backers. The company intends to channel the funds into expanding production capacity, increasing deployments across Nigeria and other African nations, and growing its engineering, software, and business development teams.
Terra Industries builds autonomous platforms designed to monitor and protect infrastructure across land, air, and maritime environments. Its systems are already operational at critical sites such as power generation facilities and mining operations across several African countries.
Its product lineup includes aerial drones, autonomous sentry towers, and unmanned ground vehicles, all linked through the ArtemisOS software ecosystem. The platform enables real-time monitoring, automated mission coordination, and integrated response capabilities across expansive operational zones.
Balancing Growth and Security
Africa’s industrial expansion is being fueled by significant resource wealth and infrastructure development. The International Monetary Fund estimates that the continent accounts for around 30 percent of global critical mineral reserves and receives more than $80 billion annually in infrastructure investment.
Despite this progress, persistent threats — including sabotage, illegal extraction, organized crime networks, and militant activity — continue to affect parts of Sub-Saharan Africa and the Sahel, disrupting economic activity and community stability.
According to Terra Industries, this mismatch between investment flows and security capacity creates vulnerabilities in supply chains and governance structures.
Advancing Indigenous Security Solutions
In response, the company is emphasizing locally engineered autonomous systems to reduce reliance on foreign security technologies that present cost, logistics, and data sovereignty challenges.
Referencing the broader idea of “Pax Africana,” Terra Industries advocates for African nations to strengthen domestic defense capabilities and maintain control over critical intelligence systems. The firm underscores the importance of predictive analytics, continuous surveillance coverage, scalable autonomous deployment across diverse terrains, and data ownership in enabling governments to respond effectively to emerging threats without heavy external dependence.
