This is a significant pivot for the Nigerian defense sector. This shift centers on a landmark partnership between the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) and a high-growth local startup called Terra Industries (formerly known as Terrahaptix).
This collaboration marks a departure from Nigeria’s traditional reliance on expensive foreign military imports from the West or China.
​Terra Industries is based in Abuja and founded by Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka. Terra has quickly become Africa’s most well-funded defense startup, recently securing $11.75 million in seed funding led by Silicon Valley’s 8VC (co-founded by Palantir’s Joe Lonsdale).
They have unveiled autonomous surveillance and “kamikaze-style” attack drones. These systems run on ArtemisOS, a proprietary software platform designed to manage large-scale security operations across land and air.
​Mine-Clearing & Armored Tech, alongside drones, the military is backing domestic production of Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles and specialized mine-clearing equipment to counter the IED threats prevalent in the Northeast and North Central regions.
For years, Nigeria faced “Leahy Law” restrictions and diplomatic hurdles when trying to buy advanced tech from the US and Europe. By building locally, the military bypasses these “black box” technology restrictions.
Domestic drones are reportedly cheaper and faster to deploy. Terra recently made headlines by outbidding an Israeli consortium for a major security contract, proving that local tech can compete globally on price and performance.
​The “Defence Silicon Valley” DICON’s Director-General, Major General B.I. Alaya, has described this as a “transformational shift.” The goal is to turn Nigeria into a regional hub for defense exports within the ECOWAS region.
While the tech is impressive, the real “secret sauce” here is the DICON Act of 2023. It effectively rewired how the Nigerian military does business, allowing them to form joint ventures with private startups rather than just acting as a slow-moving government bureaucracy.
