Terra Industries has announced plans to construct a 34,000-square-foot drone manufacturing facility in Accra, Ghana, aimed at strengthening Africa’s defense capabilities and addressing rising insecurity across the continent.
The disclosure was contained in a statement issued by the company on April 19, 2026, and published on its official website, where it detailed the project as its second manufacturing hub, known as Pax-2.
Terra Industries is an African defense technology company focused on building autonomous security systems to protect critical infrastructure across the continent. Its operations span drone production, surveillance systems, and counter-drone technologies, with a growing footprint in Nigeria and other allied African countries.
Africa’s insecurity challenge
Insecurity remains a major concern across Africa, with terrorism and armed conflict deeply entrenched in several regions. The Sahel — a semi-arid belt stretching across countries such as Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger between the Sahara Desert and the savannah — has become the epicentre of global terrorism, accounting for 51% of terrorism-related deaths in 2024.
Data from the ACLED Conflict Index ranks Nigeria among the five most conflict-affected countries globally, classified under ‘extreme’ insecurity, alongside nations such as Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Other countries including Somalia, Ethiopia, Mali, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic also rank among the top 30.
The Sahel region has recorded a 1,266% surge in attacks over the past 15 years, with militant groups controlling large territories, particularly in Burkina Faso. Elsewhere, Al-Shabaab continues operations in Somalia, while Boko Haram and ISWAP sustain attacks in Nigeria’s northeast.
These threats are evolving rapidly, with terrorist groups increasingly deploying sophisticated technologies. Between 2023 and 2025, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) carried out at least 89 drone operations, while Islamic State Sahel Province used suicide drones to strike Niamey International Airport in January 2026.
Terra’s Ghana facility and defense vision
Against this backdrop, Terra Industries said its new Ghana-based Pax-2 facility will serve as its primary regional manufacturing hub for drones and counter-drone systems. The plant, larger than its 15,000-square-foot Abuja-based Pax-1 facility, is expected to become the biggest drone factory in Africa, with an annual production capacity of up to 50,000 units by 2028.
The facility will produce systems such as the Archer VTOL surveillance platform, the Iroko UAV for tactical deployment, and Kama, a high-speed interceptor drone designed to counter aerial threats. It is also expected to create 120 engineering jobs and operate continuously to meet rising demand for advanced defense systems across the region.
Speaking on the project, co-founder and CEO, Nathan Nwachuku, said:
“The only way Africa can have lasting peace is by uniting to build sovereign defense, not by relying on foreign security architecture. We need to control our own destiny by building the tools and systems needed to protect ourselves. That’s how this continent defeats terrorism.”
He added: “We chose Ghana for Pax-2 because of its talent, strategic position, and political will to become a serious defense exporter and prove that this can be done at scale.”
Why security underpins Africa’s growth
Conflict and violence continue to impose a heavy economic burden on Africa, costing the continent over $100 billion annually, according to the Africa Centre for Strategic Studies.
Beyond financial losses, insecurity disrupts critical sectors such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure. In Nigeria, for instance, students abducted by armed men has become a recurring incident, with a 2025 report showing that atleast 1,799 students have been seized since the 2014 Chibok attack in which Boko Haram militants seized 276 schoolgirls.
Persistent violence also discourages investment, delays infrastructure projects, and undermines technological advancement.
Without stability, long-term development remains fragile, making security a foundational requirement for economic growth and innovation across Africa.