This aerospace student is behind Nigeria’s rising agricultural drone startup
At just 24 with nearly seven years of experience, Shamsuddeen Jibril has already gained some traction in the Nigerian robotics field.
Driven by a desire to make a tangible impact in his community, Shamsuddeen founded Vora Robotics, a tech startup specialising in the development of drones designed specifically for agricultural purposes.
As a final-year aerospace engineering student at the Airforce Institute of Technology in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria, Shamsuddeen is determined to go beyond creating drones for the sake of it. His vision is to develop technology that addresses real-world problems within his community. "Looking at the food insecurity we are facing in Nigeria as well as in Africa, we needed to ensure that we bring solutions in that sector," he said.
Where passion meets practicality
Recognising the critical role agriculture plays in Nigeria’s economy, Shamsuddeen focused on creating drones that could help farmers enhance productivity while also reducing health risks. In Nigeria, where 26.5 million people were projected to face acute hunger during the June-August 2024 lean season, agricultural solutions have become more urgent. The World Food Programme reported that the food insecurity crisis in Nigeria is exacerbated by factors like conflict, inflation, and the impact of climate change.
Shamsuddeen saw an opportunity to automate farming processes, particularly the manual spraying of crops, which often exposes farmers to harmful chemicals. "If you look at the way they do their local way of spraying in the farm, it leads them to inhale some chemicals… Even though they are masked up, they still inhale it," he explained. The goal of Vora Robotics is to create drones that can safely and efficiently perform such tasks, reducing health risks and increasing agricultural efficiency.
The birth of Vora Robotics
Operating primarily in Kaduna and Abuja, Vora Robotics was co-founded a year ago by Shamsuddeen and four others. Shamsuddeen serves as the Chief Technical Officer, overseeing the company’s technological development.
Isayaku Musa, the Chief Operating Officer, shared insights on the company’s early challenges and growth trajectory. With a seed fund of 3 million Naira (approximately $1,920), Vora Robotics has been developing its products while employing a team of 10 workers.
"We want to perfect our product before entering the market," Musa said, emphasising that the company is still in its research and development phase.
However, logistical challenges, especially the need to import materials not readily available in Nigeria, have proven to be obstacles. "More than 60% of our requirements to develop this drone are locally sourced, but there are a lot of things we cannot get here, particularly in Kaduna State. We have to import it from somewhere far, sometimes even outside the country," Musa added.
Building a sustainable tech startup
Despite these hurdles, Vora Robotics remains committed to long-term growth and positive community impact. One of their key objectives is to create 1,000 jobs for Nigerians within the next five years. To achieve this, Musa called on the Nigerian government to support startups like Vora Robotics that are working to drive change and address critical challenges in the nation.
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