Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has nominated retired General Christopher Musa to serve as the country’s next Minister of Defence, sending his name to the Senate for confirmation.
The nomination was disclosed on Tuesday in a statement issued in Abuja by presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga. Senate President Godswill Akpabio is expected to table the request before lawmakers.
Musa, 58, served as Chief of Defence Staff from 2023 until his retirement in October. A distinguished infantry officer, he received the 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 entered the Nigerian Defence Academy in 1986 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 after earning a Bachelor of Science degree.
Over the course of his career, he held several senior military appointments, including General Staff Officer (Training and Operations) at Headquarters 81 Division and Commanding Officer of the 73 Battalion. His postings also included Assistant Director for Operational Requirements in the Army Policy and Plans Department, as well as Infantry Representative on the Training Team at the Nigerian Army Armour Corps.
In 2019, he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff (Training and Operations) at the Infantry Centre and Corps, and subsequently commanded Sector 3 of Operation Lafiya Dole and the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin.
Musa later served as Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai in 2021 before becoming Commander of the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps, a role he held until his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
In forwarding his nomination, President Tinubu said he believed Musa would play a pivotal role in further strengthening Nigeria’s defence and security framework.
