Students can now build and fly drones for credit at Miva University
Miva Open University and drone maker Terra Industries are building robotics labs where students will design, test, and fly drones as part of their degree programs.
Nigerian students will design, assemble, test, and fly drones as part of their academic programs under a new partnership between Miva Open University and Abuja-based drone manufacturer Terra Industries, the university announced.
The collaboration, formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding, will establish integrated robotics, drone, and virtual reality laboratories across Miva’s learning centres, beginning with a pilot lab at the university’s Abuja study centre before expanding to other locations.
Building Africa’s industrial talent pipeline
The partnership embeds practical hardware training directly into university coursework at a time when demand for deep-tech skills in artificial intelligence, robotics, cybersecurity, and autonomous systems is accelerating across Africa. BusinessDay Nigeria reports that both organisations aim to bridge the gap between academic learning and the continent’s growing need for defence and infrastructure technology talent.
Through the agreement, Terra Industries will deliver hands-on workshops, train faculty members, and provide internship and employment opportunities to outstanding performers, ensuring students graduate with both technical expertise and practical industry experience.
Terra’s industrial scale backs the classroom
The startup brings significant operational weight to the partnership. Terra operates a 15,000-square-foot drone manufacturing facility on the outskirts of Abuja, which CEO Nathan Nwachuku told CNN has the capacity to produce 30,000 drones annually. The company designs and manufactures unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous surveillance towers, and unmanned ground vehicles, with over 70% of its manufacturing inputs sourced within Africa, according to Business Insider Africa.
Terra’s systems already protect critical infrastructure valued at roughly $11 billion across multiple African countries and Canada, ModernGhana reports. The company has raised about $34 million in disclosed funding, including rounds led by US investors 8VC and Lux Capital, making it one of Africa’s most capitalised defence-tech startups. Terra has also formed a collaboration with the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria to localise production of advanced security systems.
Founders Nathan Nwachuku and Maxwell Maduka started the company in their early twenties, with CNN profiling the pair as young Nigerian engineers building autonomous security systems powered by AI and drones. Terra’s product line includes high-speed interceptor drones and the Duma unmanned ground vehicle for mine and improvised explosive device detection, as covered by Tell.ng.
What the university says
Miva Open University described Terra Industries as its partner in the establishment and development of its integrated robotics, drone, and VR laboratories. In its announcement, the university stated: "Beginning with our Integrated Robotics and Drone Lab at the Miva Open University Study Centre in Abuja, and with more labs coming to our other centres, students will have the opportunity to design, test, and fly drones as part of their academic experience."
The institution added: "Terra Industries will also deliver hands-on workshops, train faculty members, and provide internship and employment opportunities for outstanding students, ensuring they graduate with both technical expertise and practical industry experience."
The signing of the MoU marks another step in Miva’s commitment to innovation and experiential learning, the university said, preparing students to build Africa’s technological future. Students will gain exposure to real-world challenges in defence technology, autonomous systems, and critical infrastructure protection through mentorship from Terra’s engineering teams.
What’s next
The Abuja pilot lab will serve as the template for additional robotics and drone labs across other Miva study centres though no timeline for the wider rollout has been specified. Terra Industries is simultaneously scaling its own manufacturing output, with plans to increase production at its Abuja facility to 40,000 drones annually and begin construction of a larger factory, according to CEO Nathan Nwachuku. A secondary production hub in Ghana is being considered with a target capacity of 50,000 units annually by 2028.
