• Wednesday, June 26, 2024
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BusinessDay

Terahaptix taps tech to tackle insecurity, boost food production

Alarming food crises: Now is the time to adopt full digital agriculture

…plans to export robotic systems

Terahaptix, a pioneering Nigerian hardware startup, has disclosed plans to leverage technology to tackle insecurity and enhance food production while exporting innovative robotic systems.

Nathan Nwachuku, co-founder and chief executive officer, Terahaptix, made the disclosure over the weekend in Abuja during the lunch of the Robotics factory

“Terahaptix is serving a major role in our mission today to accelerate automation in emerging markets, we are dedicated to building low-cost robotic systems that automate the core industries in Africa and help other markets around the world. Our intent is to build here and export these systems globally,” Nwachuku announced.

Read also: Nigeria needs collaboration to drive sustainable food production Edokpolo

As the first major hardware company to emerge from Nigeria in recent years, Terahaptix is setting a new standard in the country’s industrial landscape.

Nwachuku highlighted the importance of this breakthrough in a sector traditionally dominated by fintech and financial services startups.

“For years, we have been hearing about fintech and the financial sector. A lot of people have not really placed big bets on hardware and manufacturing startups,” he explained.

Today, we want to show the world that young Nigerians can build hardware, scale, and succeed at it.”

Nwachuku said the company’s reach extends beyond Nigeria, with one of its robotic systems already set for export to Ghana.

“While the company serves customers within Nigeria, the majority of its market lies abroad. Remarkably, 70 percent of the raw materials used in Terahaptix’s products are locally sourced, with the remaining 30 percent imported, he explained.

According to him, Terahaptix operates independently of formal government collaboration, but would be happy to work with the government to accelerate its mission

Nwachukwu said the seven months old company since its inception, has generated about $1 million in revenue and secured over $15 million in contracts from major customers in the mining, oil and gas, and construction industries in both Nigeria and Ghana.

The company expects to close the year with up to $2.5 million in revenue, primarily from exports.

Read also: Cheap credit, policy consistency needed to boost food production Obasanjo

Maxwell Maduka, cofounder Terahaptix, while highlighting the vast potential of their technology in agriculture, noted that the company’s most profitable ventures have involved protecting critical infrastructure, including collaborations with North Power and a Ghanaian company that safeguards oil and construction assets.

He said, “Our transmission companies and other critical infrastructure need our products like the Archers. This heavy-duty surveillance system provides about four hours of aerial coverage, helping detect intruders before they can act,” he said.

“With our systems, we aim to help farmers feel safe and optimize their production, tackling inefficiencies and reducing insecurity”.

Maduka also stressed on the company’s insistence on local resources as it plans to hire 40 Nigerian engineers and technicians.

“With the rise of automation comes the reduction in inefficiencies, leading to the optimization of production. We are not just building robots; we are trying to help accelerate core industries and tackle insecurity,” Maduka said.