President Bola Tinubu has nominated the former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, as the new minister of defence.
In a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Tinubu said he’s nominating Musa to succeed Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, who resigned on Monday.
Gen. Musa, 58, is a highly regarded military leader who served as chief of defence staff from 2023 until October 2025 and received the Colin Powell Award for Soldiering in 2012.
Born in Sokoto in 1967, Musa completed his primary and secondary education before attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria.
He graduated in 1986 and joined the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) that same year, earning a Bachelor of Science degree upon his graduation in 1991.
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Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Nigerian Army in 1991, Musa has had a notable career with various key positions, including General Staff Officer 1 for Training/Operations at HQ 81 Division, Commanding Officer of the 73 Battalion, Assistant Director of Operational Requirements in the Department of Army Policy and Plans, and Infantry Representative/Member of the Training Team at HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
In 2019, he held roles as Deputy Chief of Staff for Training/Operations at the Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps, Commander of Sector 3 in ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’, and Commander of Sector 3 for the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Region.
In 2021, Musa was appointed Theatre Commander for ‘Operation Hadin Kai’ and later became Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before being named Chief of Defence Staff by President Tinubu in 2023.
In his letter to the Senate, Tinubu expressed his confidence in Gen. Musa’s capability to lead the Ministry of Defence and enhance Nigeria’s security framework.
