President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has nominated former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd), as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
In a letter sent to Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday, Tinubu announced Musa as his preferred replacement for Mohammed Badaru, who resigned from the cabinet on Monday.
Gen. Musa, who served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until October 2025, is widely regarded for his operational experience and was the recipient of 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 attending the College of Advanced Studies in Zaria. He was admitted into the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986 and graduated in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science degree.
His nomination is now before the Senate for screening and confirmation.