Tinubu Nominates Gen. Musa as Defence Minister

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence, sending his name to the Senate for confirmation following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar on Monday.

The nomination was conveyed in a letter to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, where the President described General Musa as a seasoned military leader whose experience and service record position him to strengthen the nation’s defence leadership.

General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, previously served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. His military career spans more than three decades, marked by key operational and command roles across the Nigerian Army. He was the recipient of the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012, underscoring his professional excellence and dedication.

Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before progressing to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. After graduating in 1986, he entered the Nigerian Defence Academy the same year and earned a Bachelor of Science degree upon commissioning in 1991. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and began what would become a distinguished path through the army’s operational, training, and leadership structures.

Over the years, Musa held several strategic positions, including General Staff Officer 1, Training and Operations at Headquarters 81 Division, and Commanding Officer of the 73 Battalion. He also served as Assistant Director for Operational Requirements in the Department of Army Policy and Plans and represented the Infantry Corps on the Army Armour Corps Training Team.

His frontline leadership became more prominent from 2019 when he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff, Training and Operations, at the Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps. He later commanded Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole and subsequently led Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region, roles that placed him at the centre of Nigeria’s counterterrorism and regional security operations.

In 2021, Musa was named Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, the military’s main counterinsurgency operation in the North-East. His performance in that role led to his appointment as Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. In 2023, President Tinubu elevated him to Chief of Defence Staff, where he coordinated joint military operations and reforms across the armed forces.

President Tinubu, in his communication to the Senate, said he is confident that General Musa will bring “strong leadership” to the Ministry of Defence and help deepen ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s security framework.

The nomination is expected to undergo Senate screening in the coming days.