President Bola Tinubu has nominated the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa (Rtd), as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
The nomination follows the resignation of former Defence Minister Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, who stepped down on Monday, November 1, 2025, citing health reasons. According to presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga, President Tinubu formally communicated the nomination to Senate President Godswill Akpabio in a letter sent on Tuesday.
General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, is a highly decorated military officer who served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. He received the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before moving to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. After completing his studies in 1986, he enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1991, he went on to build an illustrious military career. His key appointments include General Staff Officer 1 for Training and Operations at HQ 81 Division, Commanding Officer of the 73 Battalion, Assistant Director of Operational Requirements at Army Policy and Plans, and Infantry Representative at the Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Training and Operations at the Infantry Centre and Corps, Commander of Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole, and later Commander of Sector 3 of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region.
In 2021, General Musa became Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai and later commanded the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps. President Tinubu appointed him Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
In his letter to the Senate, President Tinubu expressed strong confidence in General Musa’s capacity to lead the Ministry of Defence and further bolster Nigeria’s security framework.
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