President Bola Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
The nomination was conveyed in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, following the resignation of the immediate past Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, on Monday.
Announcing the development, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said President Tinubu expressed strong confidence in the retired military chief.
According to him, “President Tinubu believes General Musa’s wealth of experience and leadership record uniquely position him to strengthen Nigeria’s defence and security architecture.”
General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, is a highly decorated officer who served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. He is a past recipient of the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering (2012).
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and the same year gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree upon completion in 1991.
Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1991, Musa went on to build a career marked by key operational and command assignments. His postings include:
General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations, HQ 81 Division
Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion
Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans
Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team, HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps
He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps in 2019, and later as Commander, Sector 3 of both Operation Lafiya Dole and the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in the Lake Chad region.
In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, before becoming Commander, Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. He was later appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023.
Describing his nomination as timely, an aide familiar with security matters said, “General Musa is known for discipline, operational clarity, and a deep understanding of Nigeria’s security challenges. His return to public service is expected to reinvigorate the defence sector.”
The Senate is expected to screen and confirm the nominee in the coming days.
