As Africa seeks to digitize its traditional industries, agriculture is fast becoming the continent’s most promising frontier. Integrated Aerial Precision, a Lagos-based agritech startup, is seizing that opportunity with precision drone services and data-driven crop management solutions. Founded by Femi Adekoya in 2021, the company is addressing longstanding challenges in food security and farmer productivity with scalable, tech-enabled tools and in doing so, it’s rewriting the rules of agricultural engagement.
This is more than just innovation for innovation’s sake. It is a mission-driven enterprise rooted in solving real problems, land degradation, inefficiency and the underutilization of modern tools. And in doing so, Integrated Aerial Precision is helping shape a new narrative for African agriculture: one where youth are empowered, technology is democratized and farming becomes both profitable and sustainable.
A Childhood Curiosity Grows into a Mission
“I was born and raised in Lagos, Nigeria, and that’s a typical city,” Femi recalls. “But I got fascinated with agriculture from an early age and I decided from my teenage years to learn more about agriculture.”
While many of his peers pursued traditional city-born ambitions, Femi chose a different path, one that led him to the Federal University of Agriculture where he specialized in horticulture. But even then, he realized farming in Nigeria wasn’t just about planting and harvesting. It was layered with inefficiencies, plagued by disease and pests and marred by low yields.
“Studying and practising it exposed me to the challenge in the agricultural sector. It also led me to the importance of technology at different levels to tackle these challenges.”
His journey took an international turn in 2019 when he was awarded the prestigious Commonwealth Scholarship to study Integrated Pest and Disease Management in the United Kingdom. It was a formative experience.
“I was fortunate enough to enrol, to learn and build my skills,” he says. “And returning back I decided to start the company in 2021.”
Building a Sky-Level View of Agriculture
Integrated Aerial Precision was born out of a singular belief: that Africa’s farming future must be driven by precision, data and smart technology. With over 15 staff, the company is a pioneer—combining aerial intelligence and agricultural analytics in a way never before seen in Nigeria.
“We are into provision of precision agriculture, technology services, leveraging drone technology, data,and data analytics to empower farmers to farm smarter, better and more productively,” Femi explains. “At the end of the day, they will be able to make profit and better their livelihood from agriculture.”
Using drones fitted with multispectral sensors, Integrated Aerial Precision scouts fields for early detection of pests and diseases. These drones don’t just observe, they act, autonomously spraying crops with care products and solving problems that would otherwise cripple yields.
Navigating a Complex Landscape
Pioneering a technology in an industry steeped in tradition is no easy feat. “We had to grow the market. We had to educate the market. We had to build capacity,” Femi shares. “And also farmers, because of the technology we provide and the impact of scale, it has also made them expand or come together in clusters to enjoy the benefit of the technology.”
Regulatory hurdles were another early challenge. “We operate a regulated technology for our services, so the technology is regulated. Regulation is sometimes a challenge, but we’ve been able to understand regulators, work with regulators.”
Capital was also a recurring obstacle. “Capital is one of the challenges, but we’ve learned the art of fundraising, the art of grant writing, the art of making money as revenue. Marketing and ensuring that you are making a good revenue, because that’s your number one source and the number one traction as a business.”
Yet perhaps the most nuanced challenge has been human resources. “The skills of this emerging technology are not learned from school,” Femi says. “So we have to train our personnel. Our pilots, particularly, we certify them.”
Integrated Aerial Precision has now embedded training into its business model, Integrated Aerial Precision has now embedded training into its business model, creating a replicable structure that invests in people just as much as in technology through its Academy, Precision Field Academy.
Honors, Impact and Changing the Youth Narrative
Femi’s efforts have not gone unnoticed. His accolades include the Royal African Award 2022, conferred by His Imperial Majesty, Ooni of Ife, and the African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI) Precision Agriculture Young Scientist Award. He is also a recipient of the Orange Corners Innovation Fund Award.
“We were one of the 10 startups selected from 2,000 entries across Nigeria,” he shares, referencing the Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology Application Demonstration Project. “We have been awarded 6 awards and received several grants from international and local bodies to support our work.”
Yet for all the trophies and titles, the impact that matters most to Femi is the cultural shift he’s helped spark.
“The biggest one for me is the fact that we are changing the course of agriculture and the perception of youths around agriculture. So, we have youths opening up to agriculture, meaning that they can be able to stay ahead of their generation.”
Leadership Beyond the Boardroom
Femi’s work transcends his company. He is the Nigerian Country Representative for the International Society for Precision Agriculture, sits on the board of the African Association of Precision Agriculture, and serves as a Digital Agriculture Advisor to a global development consortium. He is also Co-Lead of the World Food Forum Nigeria Chapter and a member of the Netherlands Consulate Youth Advisory Committee.
He leads the Precision Field Academy, an initiative training a new generation of “digital farmers” across Africa. “Our impact spans across Africa. We have trained several youths around precision agriculture and digital technologies.”
Advice for Entrepreneurs
Femi is quick to share practical insights with aspiring entrepreneurs, especially those entering the sector with limited means.
“Resources will always be limited at the start—funding, people, even time,” he advises. “But that’s why smart management matters. Focus on what you do have, no matter how small and use it to demonstrate results. Start with your own means, build partnerships, generate revenue. Prove your concept first, then scale. Big dreams begin with small, well-executed steps.”
On leadership, his philosophy is equally grounded: “For me, it’s always been about impact. Business is about solving problems but the real power lies in understanding the ripple effect of those solutions. Every idea we bring to life has the potential to address challenges not just at the surface, but systemically. That’s what makes our work meaningful. It’s not just about innovation, it’s about purposeful execution.”
A New Crop of Projects
Looking ahead, Femi is particularly excited about the convergence of AI with agriculture. “Artificial intelligence is really opening up for us. Exploring new data, making our work more efficient. It touches everywhere.”
One of his major upcoming initiatives is the Precision Agriculture Incubation Programme, a new platform to train the next generation of technical and industrial farmers. “It’s one of the special vehicles to achieve our mission,” he says.
A Legacy in the Making
Femi Adekoya is not just building a business. He is cultivating a legacy, one that is grounded in African soil but powered by global thinking and frontier technologies.
In a continent where agriculture has too often been seen as a relic of the past, he is turning it into a profession of the future. His drones may fly silently above vast green fields but their impact roars across borders and generations.
And when the story of Africa’s agricultural renaissance is told, it will begin, just as he did, in the heart of Lagos, with one man who saw more in the soil than most ever dared to.
