By Nkechi Eze
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, as Nigeria’s next Minister of Defence. The nomination was formally conveyed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio in a letter from the President, following Monday’s resignation of the former Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued in Abuja by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
General Musa, who will turn 58 on December 25, is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most accomplished military officers. He served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025 and is a recipient of the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering, which he received in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before attending the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and immediately enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991.
Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Nigerian Army that same year, General Musa has held several notable command and staff appointments. His career includes service as General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at Headquarters 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements at the Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative/Member of the Training Team at Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
In 2019, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations at the Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps. He later served as Commander of Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole, and Commander of Sector 3, Multinational Joint Task Force, where he played a key role in stabilisation efforts around the Lake Chad Basin.
In 2021, General Musa became Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, before subsequently being appointed Commander, Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. President Tinubu later elevated him to the position of Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
In the letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed strong confidence in General Musa’s capacity to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s national security architecture.
The Senate is expected to consider the nomination in the coming days.
