The CEO of Flutterwave, Olugbenga Agboola, has joined global venture firm Lux Capital to invest in a Nigerian drone startup building autonomous aerial security systems. This move represents more than a funding deal. It shows African founders are beginning to reinvest in the next wave of innovation.

The startup raised 22 million dollars to scale drone technology focused on protecting critical infrastructure across Africa. Its work combines robotics, artificial intelligence and security. These sectors have rarely been the focus of African venture funding until now.

For years, most investment in African startups flowed into fintech. Payments and digital banking dominated headlines and valuations. Flutterwave became one of the biggest symbols of that era by building payment rails across the continent.

Now the narrative is shifting.

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Agboola’s involvement shows the rise of a second generation of African tech leadership. Successful founders are starting to become investors. This mirrors Silicon Valley, where founders later funded breakthrough companies in new industries.

The sector itself makes the move even more important. Autonomous drone security belongs to deep technology, an area often seen as expensive and difficult to build outside major global tech hubs. This investment signals growing confidence in Africa’s ability to build advanced technology.

The timing also reflects Africa’s infrastructure realities. Pipelines, power grids, telecom towers and mining sites need constant monitoring. Traditional security methods are costly and manpower heavy.

Autonomous drones offer a smarter alternative. They provide constant monitoring, faster response and scalable protection at lower long-term cost. As infrastructure grows, demand for this technology is expected to rise.

Lux Capital’s involvement adds global validation. The firm is known for backing robotics, AI and frontier technology companies. Its participation signals stronger global confidence in African deep tech.

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This investment represents more than funding. It marks a shift in Africa’s tech story. The continent is moving beyond fintech toward robotics, security technology and advanced engineering.

For Flutterwave’s CEO, this is the evolution from founder to ecosystem builder. For Africa, it signals a new cycle where the first wave of success is now funding the next generation of innovation.