Terra Industries Addresses Defence Tech Talent Gap Through University Partnership

Nigeria-based defence technology startup Terra Industries is tackling a critical challenge – the shortage of skilled engineers needed to scale its operations – through an innovative partnership with Miva Open University. This collaboration aims to create a pipeline of local talent capable of designing, building, and maintaining advanced drone systems.

The agreement will see Terra establish robotics and drone laboratories across Miva’s learning centres, beginning with a pilot program in Abuja. Students will gain practical experience in all aspects of drone technology, from design and assembly to testing and flight operations. In addition to hands-on workshops led by Terra engineers, students can look forward to internships and job opportunities based on performance.

This initiative directly addresses the need for local expertise in Nigeria’s defence sector, which has historically relied on imported systems with limited technology transfer. The Nigerian Army itself has acknowledged constraints caused by a lack of skilled manpower in drone warfare development.

Terra Industries currently operates Africa’s largest drone manufacturing facility (15,000 square feet) in Abuja and is expanding with a 34,000-square-foot plant in Ghana. The company’s autonomous systems already protect over USD 11 billion of infrastructure assets across eight African countries.

This partnership reflects a broader trend in Nigeria’s defence sector towards local innovation and technology transfer. Terra has previously committed significant funding to STEM education programs, including the South-East Maths Olympiad, demonstrating its commitment to building future talent. The company also signed a joint venture with DICON (Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria) to establish local production lines for drones, robotics, and cybersecurity systems.

The move aligns with growing government support for the drone industry, as evidenced by recent calls from the House of Representatives for a National Drone Industrialisation Policy to transform the sector into a structured strategic industry.