President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has officially nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar earlier this week.
In a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu forwarded General Musa’s nomination, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and strengthen the nation’s security architecture.
General Musa, 58, is a seasoned military officer with a distinguished career spanning over three decades. He served as Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025 and was the recipient of the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa completed his primary and secondary education locally before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria, graduating in 1986. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army that year.
Throughout his military career, General Musa has held numerous key positions, including General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer of 73 Battalion; and Assistant Director of Operational Requirements at the Department of Army Policy and Plans. He also served as Infantry Representative/Member of the Training Team at HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
In 2019, he commanded operations as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations at the Infantry Centre and Corps, Commander of Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole, and Commander of Sector 3, Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region. By 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai and later served as Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff.
The nomination is set to be reviewed by the Senate, which must confirm General Musa before he can officially assume office.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, conveyed the announcement in the presidential statement.
