Academy Award winner Jared Leto has joined a group of investors backing Terra, a fast-growing Nigerian drone technology company, in a $22 million funding round.
Terra, a two-year-old startup headquartered in Abuja, recently secured the investment as part of its latest capital raise. The new funding comes shortly after the company closed an earlier $11.8 million round, bringing its total funding to approximately $34 million.
Leto, known for his roles in films such as Suicide Squad and Morbius, invested alongside major venture capital firm Lux Capital. Also participating in the round is Olugbenga Agboola, chief executive officer of Flutterwave.
The deal marks a significant milestone for Nigeria’s technology ecosystem, particularly in hardware and defense-focused innovation, sectors traditionally overshadowed by the country’s fintech dominance.
Terra was founded by Nathan Nwachukwu, 22, and Maxwell Maduka, 24. According to the founders, the company initially set out to raise $5 million but received far greater investor interest than anticipated. The oversubscribed round pushed total funding well beyond expectations.
The company develops autonomous security drones, surveillance towers, and unmanned ground systems designed to protect large-scale infrastructure and industrial sites. Terra states that its technology currently safeguards assets valued at approximately $11 billion.
With a reported valuation exceeding $100 million, Terra is also expanding beyond Nigeria. Plans are underway to establish a manufacturing facility in Saudi Arabia to meet growing international demand.
Leto’s involvement highlights increasing global attention on African technology startups. The investment underscores confidence from international backers in Nigeria’s emerging hardware and security technology sector.
As Terra scales operations and expands internationally, it is positioning itself as one of the continent’s most closely watched tech ventures.
