Nigeria Partners with Terra Industries for Local Drone and Robotics Production

Nigeria’s Defence Industries Corporation (DICON) and startup Terra Industries launched a joint venture to produce drones, robotics, and cybersecurity systems locally, aiming to reduce weapon imports, create jobs, and establish Nigeria as a regional defense manufacturing hub.

Terra, founded in 2024 by Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka, runs Africa’s largest drone factory and recently raised $34 million from U.S. investors at over $100 million valuation.

Terra Industries has signed an agreement with @Dicon_ng to boost sovereign defence production through a joint venture.

The partnership will position Nigeria as a regional hub for high-tech manufacturing and R&D, while building local capability, jobs, and stronger supply chains.

DICON has signed a MoU with Terra Industries for the establishment of a joint Venture. The partnership will see the production of Advance security Hardwares and softwares, UAVs and Robotics thus improving Nigeria self reliance in Defence Equipment production.

DICON’s Director-General called it a transformational step, while the young CEO highlighted indigenous engineering for innovation and exports. The move draws optimism for self-reliance amid security challenges, though some raise questions about foreign funding’s role.

The partnership will establish a Joint Venture Company (JVC) that will operate as a subsidiary of DICON and will be jointly promoted and owned by DICON and Terra Industries to localise the production of advanced security systems.

Nathan Nwachuku, the founder announced on X stating that the partnership provides a robust framework for the local production, assembly, research and development (R&D), and training in high-technology systems, including drones, cybersecurity solutions, robotics, and other ancillary software and hardware platforms.

The MoU, executed pursuant to the DICON Act 2023, underscores DICON’s statutory mandate to collaborate with indigenous and foreign defence-related industries through public-private partnerships.

Under the agreement, the Joint Venture Company will operate as a subsidiary of DICON, jointly promoted and owned by DICON and Terra Industries, and duly incorporated in Nigeria.

The agreement is designed to establish advanced production and assembly lines for high-tech equipment within Nigeria while promoting meaningful technology transfer, skills development, and specialised training for Nigerian personnel. It also aims to strengthen local sourcing of raw materials, reduce dependence on imports, and enhance domestic industrial capacity and strategic autonomy.

Additionally, the partnership will support the supply of security equipment to wider Nigerian security agencies and other authorised institutions, positioning Nigeria as a competitive player in the global defence manufacturing sector.

Under the agreement, Terra Industries will provide technical expertise, professional services, and training, and will help attract both local and foreign investment to strengthen the defence industrial ecosystem. The company will also facilitate the procurement of production equipment, coordinate local and international training programmes, and provide access to manufacturing know-how, tooling, spare parts, and established defence sector supply chains.

Africans react to the announcement on X and IG

What Does This Mean For The African Tech Ecosystem?

For the African tech ecosystem, this partnership signals a shift from consumption to creation. When Nigeria partners with Terra Industries to produce drones and robotics locally, it unlocks a ripple effect across the continent: real hardware talent development, local supply chains, and startups building solutions for African problems- not imported assumptions.

It means more engineers staying home, more founders experimenting with robotics-for-agriculture, logistics, security, and climate, and more investors taking Africa seriously beyond fintech.

In simple terms, it moves African tech one step closer to owning the full stack- from idea to manufacturing to deployment- rather than just being the last market in the chain.

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