Drone Maker Sets Up Ghana Factory As Conflict Drives Orders

In Accra, Ghana, the Nigerian defense technology startup Terra Industries (previously Terrahaptix) has begun building a 34,000-square-foot drone production plant, and in response to growing Islamist-militant activity in West Africa, Nigerian drone manufacturer Terrahaptix Inc. plans to establish its first overseas facility in Ghana, where it would construct mid-range pilotless aircraft and defense equipment.

This factory, known as Pax-2, is intended to confront a significant increase in drone warfare led by insurgents in the Sahel.

The company stated in a statement on Monday that the facility in Accra, the capital of Ghana, will be the company’s main regional manufacturing center for its drone and counter-drone systems. Following the launch, the company collected $34 million from investors like Lux Capital and Joe Lonsdale. 

After a $34 million funding round led by 8VC and Lux Capital, Terra’s new drone factory in Ghana, which is expected to be fully operational by June 2026 and more than double the size of its Abuja base, will become Africa’s largest drone manufacturing facility. It aims to produce 50,000 units annually by 2028, including the Kama interceptor (up to 300 km/h), Archer VTOL surveillance-strike drone, and Iroko tactical UAV. 

According to CEO Nathan Nwachuku, Terra selected Accra, the capital of Ghana, as its main West African manufacturing hub because of the country’s strong political will to become a defence exporter, its strategic talent pool, and the sharp rise in suicide and surveillance drone usage by militant groups like JNIM and Islamic State Sahel Province in neighbouring Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger.

While Terra’s systems already safeguard an estimated $11 billion worth of vital infrastructure throughout Africa, including mining operations in Ghana and hydroelectric facilities in Nigeria, the project is anticipated to generate 120 engineering jobs in Ghana.