Nigerian defense technology startup Terra Industries has been awarded a $1 million phase one contract by Anka Metals to provide security for the Jema’a Resource Project in Kaduna state. The Jema’a project is one of Nigeria’s significant mineral assets, covering a multi-metallic deposit of gold, lithium, copper and nickel at Gidan Waya.

The contract comes as work on the project moves forward. In July, the project and Kaduna Mining Development Company signed agreements with Africa Finance Corp. under a $500 million framework to finance and develop mining assets across the state.

Security has become a key requirement as mining projects move from development toward operations. The agreement with Anka Metals is the first contract under a broader partnership between the two companies focused on security for mining sites.

Terra expands mining security deals in Nigeria

Under the deal, Terra will provide autonomous surveillance and site protection for the Jema’a project. The company’s commercial division uses technology developed for defense customers to provide surveillance and deterrence systems for mining, oil and power companies operating critical assets in remote areas.

The contract follows another round of mining security deals announced by Terra barely a week earlier. The company secured $2 million in contracts to protect two lithium mining operations in Nigeria. Those agreements cover two mining companies and will see Terra install 20 sentry towers and four Iroko drones across their sites. The systems will run on ArtemisOS, Terra’s autonomous command-and-control platform, which coordinates surveillance and response.

Terra plans to expand the deployments as the mining companies bring additional sites online. The agreements also give the company an opportunity to pursue additional business from mining, oil and power operators that require continuous security at remote facilities.

Terra Industries expands drone manufacturing

Founded in 2024 by Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka, Terra Industries develops autonomous systems for land, air and maritime operations. The company operates a 15,000-square-foot facility in Abuja and plans to expand its teams in San Francisco and London.

Through its commercial division, Terra is adapting technology developed for defense customers for companies that require continuous surveillance and protection at remote or strategically important facilities.

The mining contracts come as Terra prepares to expand its manufacturing operations beyond Nigeria. In August, the company raised another $18 million as it prepared to establish a large-scale drone manufacturing operation in Ghana.

The latest financing brought Terra’s total seed funding to $52 million. The company plans to use the expansion to build a larger manufacturing base in Africa, with its next major project being the Pax-2 factory in Accra. The 34,000-square-foot facility is expected to open in the fourth quarter.