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Nigeria Builds 30,000 AI Drones Annually
6 Apr
Summary
- Nigerian startup Terra Industries launched Africa's largest drone factory.
- The company produces 30,000 AI-powered drones annually for infrastructure security.
- Terra Industries follows a vertically integrated model, reducing costs significantly.
A Nigerian robotics startup, Terra Industries, is scaling up drone production to safeguard Africa's critical industries. Founded in 2024, the company unveiled what it claims is Africa's largest drone factory in February 2025, situated in Abuja. This facility boasts a 15,000-square-foot space with an annual production capacity of 30,000 drones.
Terra Industries employs a vertically integrated manufacturing strategy, developing its software, airframes, propellers, and battery packs in-house. This approach allows for significant cost reductions, with initial hardware purchases reportedly up to 55% cheaper than international competitors. The AI-powered software, ArtemisOS, analyzes surveillance data in real-time to detect threats and alert response teams.
Having secured less than $600,000 in funding, Terra Industries achieved $1.9 million in revenue. The company has already exported its systems to eight African nations and Canada, protecting assets valued at an estimated $11 billion, including power plants, mines, and oil refineries. A notable contract in May 2026 involved a $1.2 million deal to deploy drones at hydroelectric power plants.
Clients subscribe annually to the ArtemisOS software, with hardware becoming non-functional without an active subscription. Terra Industries prioritizes data sovereignty, ensuring user data remains within Africa through partnerships with local cloud platforms like PipeOps. This model raises questions about production sustainability and financial risks for clients facing economic instability.
