There are a lot of remarkable things about Nathan Nwachukwu and Maxwell Maduka. The first is that at just 21 years old, they have built startups, one of which was acquired by Nord Motors, and another that is backed by $1 million in VC funding. It is also remarkable that at 15, Nwachukwu started his journey as an entrepreneur, and losing an eye at that age wasn’t enough to stop him. And in just three years of learning these skills, he built Klas, an Edtech platform currently used by 700,000 people.
Maduka’s story is just as inspiring. At a young age, he was the lead drone engineer in the Nigerian Navy. He also built a drone company called Spatial Nova that specialized in building micro drones. Nord Motors acquired it in 2022.
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Today, Maduka and Nwachukwu are building Terrahaptix, a drone company with an unexpected twist. These founders may have discovered the key to hardware success in Africa.
Hardware technology in Nigeria and most parts of Africa is scarce. This is because hardware is hard, and few entrepreneurs are courageous enough to venture into building a hardware company. However, there are pockets of people like Lezley John Jumbo and Monsuru Anifose who are bold enough to build hardware products.
Nwachukwu and Maduka fall into this category, and according to Nwachukwu, as scarce as hardware technology might be, there is a community in Nigeria whose passion is building drones. That community is a big part of Terrahaptix.
Nwachukwu joked that they probably hired the entire ecosystem. While Terra might just be a nine-month-old company, the team behind it has known each other for years, so building was relatively easy.
While Anduril and Helsing protect warfighters in the frontline, no one is protecting infrastructure in the backline. To bridge this gap, Terra builds autonomous systems to protect critical infra globally such as mines, oil rigs, and power plants.
According to Nathan, “We build autonomous systems to protect critical infrastructure globally such as mines, refineries, power plants. Our mission is to secure the world’s critical infrastructure. Backed by global investors and partners.”
On June 4, 2025, Nigerian drone startup Terra Industries, formerly TerraHaptix, outbid an Israeli consortium to win a $1.2 million contract for securing two hydropower plants, marking a significant milestone for African drone technology. This deal highlights the growing role of drones in industrial security across the continent.
Terra Industries will deploy a dozen drones and over 35 surveillance towers to enhance security for a local power company. The drones, showcased at a recent expo, feature advanced autonomous navigation and real-time monitoring capabilities, designed for industries like energy and mining.
The company’s 22-year-old CEO, Nathan Nwachukwu, emphasized the strategic importance of the project, stating, “The plants, the location of which was not shared, have been used as hideouts by bandits and even some terrorists.” This deployment aims to deter threats through persistent aerial surveillance, covering expansive areas that ground teams struggle to monitor.
The contract reflects a broader trend of drone adoption in Africa, spanning sectors from military to health care. Terra Industries began producing drones in Abuja in April 2024, generating over $1 million in revenue from clients in Nigeria, Ghana, and Kenya across oil, mining, and agriculture.
Nwachukwu noted the shifting market focus, saying, “Right now, our fastest growing market is the power sector.” This aligns with the increasing demand for cost-effective, scalable security solutions in energy infrastructure, where drones can reduce operational costs by up to 30% compared to traditional methods, according to industry estimates.
For drone professionals, Terra Industries’ success signals opportunities in Africa’s energy sector, where aging infrastructure and security challenges create demand for innovative solutions. The company’s ability to outcompete an established Israeli firm underscores the potential for local startups to deliver tailored, cost-effective technology.
As drone regulations evolve, operators may find new avenues for deployment, particularly in remote areas where hydropower plants often span hundreds of acres, requiring efficient, autonomous systems to ensure safety and reliability.
Founded by these young men, Terra is a robotics and drone manufacturing startup located in Abuja. They are focused on three industries: security, agriculture and energy.
As at today, Terra Industries is protecting $11B in critical assets across 9 countries with their AI-powered drones.
