PROFILE: General Christopher Gwabin Musa
Minister of Defence (Designate)

Date of Birth: December 25, 1967
Age: 58

Education
•Bachelor of Science Degree, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna – Graduated 1991
•Advanced Military Studies, College of Advanced Studies, Zaria – Attended 1986 before NDA enrollment
•Primary and Secondary Education, Sokoto – Completed before 1986

Military Career and Key Appointments

Chief of Defence Staff
Nigerian Armed Forces
June 2023 – October 2025
•Oversaw joint military operations and strengthened national security coordination.

Commander, Nigerian Army Infantry Corps
Headquarters Infantry Centre and Corps
2022 – 2023
•Directed infantry doctrine, training and development.

Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai
Northeast Nigeria
2021 – 2022
•Led major counter-terrorism operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP.

Commander, Sector 3, Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF)
Lake Chad Region
2019 – 2021
•Coordinated multinational operations involving Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon.

Commander, Sector 3, Operation Lafiya Dole
Northeast Nigeria
2019 – 2021
•Managed sector-wide counter-insurgency operations.

Deputy Chief of Staff, Training/Operations
HQ Infantry Centre and Corps
2019

Infantry Representative / Training Team Member
HQ Nigerian Army Armour Corps
•Contributed to inter-corps training and operational standardisation.

Assistant Director, Operational Requirements
Army Policy and Plans Department, Army HQ
•Assisted in strategic policy and logistics planning.

Commanding Officer, 73 Battalion
Nigerian Army
•Led battalion-level operations and troop readiness.

General Staff Officer 1, Training/Operations
81 Division Headquarters
•Managed training and operational planning for the division.

Commissioned Officer
Nigerian Army
Commissioned as Second Lieutenant: 1991
•Began career in core infantry duties and leadership roles.

Awards & Honours
•Colin Powell Award for Soldiering – 2012
Recognised for outstanding leadership and operational excellence.

Notable Achievements
•Deep expertise in counter-insurgency, joint operations and multinational security coordination.
•Played a central role in restructuring Nigeria’s defence operations between 2019 and 2025.
•Trusted by successive administrations, culminating in his appointment as Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
•President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has now nominated him as Minister of Defence, citing confidence in his strategic command experience.