President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as the new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday.
In a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, the President transmitted General Musa’s name for screening and confirmation, describing him as a seasoned military leader capable of strengthening Nigeria’s defence establishment.
General Musa, who will turn 58 on December 25, previously served as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) from 2023 until October 2025. He is a decorated officer and recipient of the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and proceeded to the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree upon completion in 1991.
Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1991, General Musa has held several key appointments in the Nigerian Army. These include General Staff Officer 1, Training and Operations at Headquarters 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements at the Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative on the Training Team at Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
He also served in critical operational roles. In 2019, Musa was Deputy Chief of Staff, Training and Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander, Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole; and later Commander, Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region.
In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai before going on to lead the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. President Tinubu appointed him Chief of Defence Staff in 2023, a role he held until October 2025.
In nominating him as Defence Minister, President Tinubu expressed confidence that General Musa’s blend of operational experience and leadership will enhance Nigeria’s security architecture once confirmed by the Senate.
