Tinubu nominates Gen Christopher Musa as New Defence Minister

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.

The nomination was communicated to Senate President Godswill Akpabio through a letter from the President, following the resignation of the immediate past Defence Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, on Monday.

General Musa, who turns 58 on December 25, is a highly decorated military officer and one-time recipient of the prestigious Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012. He previously served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 to October 2025, during which he led major counter-terrorism and national security operations.

Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education in the state before proceeding to the College of Advanced Studies, Zaria. In 1986, he gained admission into the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and was commissioned into the Nigerian Armed Forces upon graduation in 1991.

If confirmed by the Senate, General Musa will assume responsibility for overseeing Nigeria’s defence architecture at a crucial time for national security and regional stability.