Abuja, December 2, 2025 – President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated General Christopher Gwabin Musa as the new Minister of Defence, following the resignation of Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar earlier this week.
In a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, President Tinubu conveyed General Musa’s nomination, expressing confidence in his ability to lead the Ministry of Defence and further strengthen Nigeria’s security architecture.
General Musa, 58, is a distinguished soldier who most recently served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025. He is a recipient of the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering, which he won in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, General Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He graduated in 1986 and subsequently enrolled at the Nigerian Defence Academy, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in 1991.
Commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant the same year, General Musa has had a remarkable career. His previous appointments include General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division; Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion; Assistant Director, Operational Requirements, Department of Army Policy and Plans; and Infantry Representative/Member, Training Team at HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
He also served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations at Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps in 2019, as well as Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole, and Commander, Sector 3 Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region. In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, before becoming Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps and eventually Chief of Defence Staff.
The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, conveyed the announcement to the public.
