Abuja – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as Nigeria’s next Minister of Defence, succeeding Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday. In a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed his confidence in General Musa’s ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen the nation’s security architecture.
General Musa, 58, was born on December 25, 1967, in Sokoto. He received his primary and secondary education in Sokoto before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria, where he graduated in 1986. He enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991, the year he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army.
His distinguished career includes key appointments such as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025, General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division, Commanding Officer of 73 Battalion, Assistant Director of Operational Requirements in the Department of Army Policy and Plans, and Infantry Representative/Member of the Training Team at the Nigerian Army Armour Corps Headquarters. He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations at the Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps, Commander of Sector 3 in Operation Lafiya Dole, and Commander of Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region. In 2021 he was appointed Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai and later became Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before his elevation to Chief of Defence Staff.
General Musa is a recipient of the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering (2012).
In the nomination letter, President Tinubu said, “I am confident that General Musa will provide the leadership needed to advance our defence priorities and safeguard our nation.”
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, announced the nomination on December 2, 2025, and affirmed that the Senate will be requested to confirm the appointment.
The nomination comes as the Ministry of Defence continues to implement programmes aimed at enhancing troop welfare, reclaiming ungoverned spaces and supporting national security objectives.
