President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has forwarded the name of former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, to the Senate for confirmation as Nigeria’s next Minister of Defence.
The nomination, contained in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, follows the resignation of Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday.
General Musa, who will turn 58 on December 25, is a highly decorated military officer who held the position of Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. He is also a recipient of the 2012 Colin Powell Award for Soldiering.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before attending the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. After graduating in 1986, he was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991.
He was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and has built an extensive career across key operational and administrative roles. His previous 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 and Training Team Member, HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps
In 2019, Musa served as Deputy Chief of Staff (Training/Operations), Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole; and Commander, Sector 3, Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin.
He was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, in 2021 and later became Commander, Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. President Tinubu appointed him Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
In his communication to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed strong confidence in General Musa’s capacity to steer the Defence Ministry and enhance the nation’s security framework.
