Terra Industries Lands $2m Lithium Mining Security Deal, Deploys Drones and AI Sentry Towers

Abuja-based defence-technology and robotics company Terra Industries has secured contracts worth $2 million to provide security for lithium mining operations in Nigeria, marking an early commercial breakthrough for its newly launched commercial division.

The company disclosed that the agreements were signed with two mining operators and came just one week after Terra launched the new division, which is focused on providing autonomous security solutions to commercial operators of critical infrastructure and natural-resource assets.

Under the contracts, Terra will deploy 20 autonomous sentry towers and four Iroko drones across the lithium mining sites. The systems are intended to provide persistent surveillance, identify potential threats in real time and support rapid responses to security incidents.

The equipment will operate through Terra’s ArtemisOS platform, the company’s autonomous command-and-control system designed to coordinate data and operations across its various security technologies. The platform links surveillance assets to provide operators with a unified view of activities around protected sites.

Terra’s Kallon sentry tower is designed for continuous, solar-powered operation and can detect, identify and track potential threats from a distance. The company says the system offers 360-degree pan-tilt-zoom surveillance and can detect threats at distances of up to 3km.

The Iroko, meanwhile, is a modular autonomous quadcopter designed for first-response missions and data collection. Terra lists a maximum range of up to 50km, flight endurance of up to 50 minutes and a payload capacity of 1.5kg for the platform.

The lithium contracts highlight the growing intersection between Nigeria’s expanding mineral sector and the country’s security challenges. Mining operations are frequently located in remote areas where conventional security coverage can be difficult and expensive to maintain, creating demand for technologies capable of monitoring large areas continuously.

Terra said the latest agreements are expected to expand as the two mining operators bring additional sites online. The company has positioned its commercial division to serve mining, oil, power and other infrastructure operators that require surveillance and deterrence systems for assets located in difficult or security-sensitive environments.

The development also builds on Terra’s broader push to establish indigenous defence and security-technology capabilities in Nigeria. Founded in 2024, the company develops autonomous systems spanning aerial, ground and fixed surveillance applications and operates a manufacturing facility in Abuja.

Terra’s expansion into commercial infrastructure protection comes amid growing interest in locally developed autonomous security technology. Earlier in 2026, the company entered a partnership with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria to support local production, research and development, training and technology transfer involving drones, robotics and other high-technology defence systems.

The $2 million lithium-security contracts therefore represent more than a new revenue stream for the Abuja startup. They demonstrate how Nigerian-developed drones, robotics and autonomous surveillance systems are increasingly being positioned to protect the country’s strategic natural resources while potentially reducing the security burden associated with conventional, manpower-intensive approaches.