President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa as new Defence Minister.
In a letter to the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed General Musa’s nomination as the successor to Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned from his appointment on Monday, December 1, 2025 on health grounds.
According to a statement by Bayo Ononuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, stated that President Tinubu in a letter to the Senate, expressed confidence in General Musa’s ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and to strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa received his primary and secondary education there before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and enrolled at Nigerian Defence Academy same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon graduation in 1991.
General Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as Second Lieutenant in 1991 and has since had a distinguished career. His appointments include: General Staff Officer 1, Training/ Operations at HQ 81 division; Commanding Officer, 179 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operation Requirements; Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative Member, Training Team, HQ National Army Armour Corps.
In 2019, he served as Deputy Chief Of Staff, Training/ Operations, Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps; Commander Sector 3 Operation Layifa Dole: and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in Lake Chad Region.
The statement revealed that in 2021, General Musa was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai. He later became Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being appointed Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023.
