Terra Industries says its focus has shifted from fundraising to execution, with plans to scale local manufacturing, deepen engineering capacity and expand its autonomous defence systems across Africa, after securing a $11.75 million seed round.
The Abuja-based defence technology startup, founded by brothers Nathaniel Sengu and Maxwell Sengu, outlined its post-funding roadmap during an X Space organised by Tech This Week.
“This round gives us the breathing room to build properly. Now the work is about scaling production, strengthening our technology and expanding responsibly across the continent,” said Nathan Sengu, Terra’s chief executive officer.
Scaling factories, not just software
A major priority for Terra is manufacturing expansion. The company said it plans to deploy a significant portion of the seed capital toward scaling its existing production facilities and establishing at least one new defence factory in another African country within the next two years.
According to the founders, local manufacturing remains central to Terra’s strategy, with about 80 percent of its supply chain sourced from Nigerian vendors.
“We are not trying to assemble foreign kits. We are building systems from the ground up, with local vendors who understand the terrain and the operational realities.”
Hiring for deep engineering talent
Terra also plans to significantly expand its engineering workforce, with emphasis on robotics, embedded systems, artificial intelligence and defence-grade software.
The company said it would prioritise African engineers, pairing local expertise with specialised training to meet global defence and safety standards.
“Defence technology is complex, but the talent exists here. Our responsibility is to create the right environment for that talent to thrive,” Maxwell added.
Upgrading Artemis OS
On the product front, Terra will channel fresh capital into advancing Artemis OS, its proprietary intelligence platform that integrates surveillance data across air, land and maritime domains.
The next phase of Artemis OS will focus on predictive intelligence, shifting from reactive responses to early threat detection, using reinforcement learning to reduce false alerts and improve decision-making in real-world deployments.
Expansion beyond Nigeria
While Nigeria remains Terra’s primary operational base, the startup said it is preparing for expansion into other African markets where infrastructure development is accelerating but security challenges persist.
The founders said Terra would continue to prioritise private-sector engagements to build operational credibility before expanding deeper into public-sector contracts.
From capital to impact
Terra currently protects infrastructure assets valued at over $11 billion and has generated more than $2.5 million in commercial revenue, according to the company.
Looking ahead, Nathan Sengu said Terra’s success would be measured by impact rather than fundraising milestones.
“In five years, it won’t be about how much we raised. It will be about whether African infrastructure is safer and more resilient because we built systems here,” he said.
As Terra transitions from stealth to scale, the company’s next chapter will hinge on its ability to convert funding into factories, talent into technology and ambition into tangible security outcomes across Africa.
