People who follow the startup ecosystem in Nigeria generally come across businesses in sectors such as financial technology, e-commerce, or logistics.
However, when looking at the country’s major problems, issues such as terrorism, banditry, oil theft, and cybercrime come to the fore.
While not many, there are some defense technology startups in the country that aim to address these challenges. In particular, three different startups stand out in this field.
Challenges in Advancing Nigeria’s Defense Technology
Nigeria lacks the necessary equipment and advanced technology to make major breakthroughs in defense technology.
Defense companies usually require years of trial and error, expert teams, and field testing to be successful. Accessing these resources is a luxury for most startups in the country. Even the Nigerian army struggles to develop such systems.
At the 2023 Annual Public Conference of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), former Chief of Defence Staff Lucky Irabor confirmed this by stating that the country does not have the capability to produce military equipment.
According to Irabor, the biggest problems are the lack of research and development (R&D) investments and the country’s limited technological capacity.
Furthermore, inadequate infrastructure in Nigeria hinders the full implementation of digital technologies.
Because of these issues, the country has difficulty advancing in defense technology and is forced to import many of its needs. Still, a few ambitious startups aim to reverse this situation.
Kifta Technologies: From Supply Chain Security to Advanced Drones
One example is Kifta Technologies, founded in 2018 by Monsuru Anifowoshe.
Initially, the company began developing drones to address security issues in the textile supply chain.
Over time, they expanded their portfolio to include products such as smart glasses with license plate recognition, firefighting drones, UAVs designed for naval operations, and border security.
Despite these achievements, Kifta struggles with infrastructure problems like frequent power outages. For this reason, they mainly serve international markets.
However, they plan to build a production facility in Nigeria so that their products can be officially recognized as “Made in Nigeria.”
Proforce Defence Limited: Nigeria’s First Indigenous Defense Manufacturer
Another company is Proforce Defence Limited, founded in 2008 and recognized as Nigeria’s first defense company.
Proforce manufactures armored personnel carriers, tactical vehicles, ballistic vests, and helmets. They handle the entire process—from design and engineering to manufacturing—within Nigeria.
Their products are sold both to the Nigerian army and to various countries across West Africa.
TerraHaptix: Ethical Innovation in Drone Technology
Lastly, TerraHaptix was founded in 2023 by Maxwell Maduka and Nathan Nwachuku with the goal of representing Africa globally in hardware technologies.
Although initially known for drone production, the company later decided to focus on the commercial drone market to avoid ethical controversies and operational complexity.
Despite being a young startup, TerraHaptix received more than $2 million in orders during its first year and exported to five African countries.
The Need for Greater Government Support
Globally, defense technology ventures often receive strong government support and funding. In the United States, for example, investment in this area reached as high as $31 billion.
In Europe, investment in defense technologies increased by over 500% in the last three years. In contrast, government support for this sector in Nigeria remains limited.
However, if the Nigerian government begins to focus more on this field, the number of such investments may increase significantly.