Defence Minister of Nigeria
Defence Body
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Federal Minister of Defence of Nigeria is the Federal Executive Council official who leads the Defence Ministry of Nigeria. The Defence Minister's main responsibility is to manage all branches of the Nigerian Armed Forces, to maintain a modern, competent, and professional military force for the protection of the national territory, maritime interests, airspace, and constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
ReportstoPresident of Nigeria
Appointer
| Minister of Defence of Nigeria | |
|---|---|
| Style | The Honourable |
| Member of | |
| Reports to | President of Nigeria |
| Appointer | |
| Term length |
|
| Inaugural holder | Muhammadu Ribadu |
| Formation | 1960 |
| Deputy | Minister of State for Defence |
List of Ministers
Minister of Defence (1960-1966)
| Prime Minister | Name | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa | Muhammadu Ribadu[1] | 1960 | 1965 |
| Inuwa Wada | 1965 | 1966 |
Federal Commissioner of Defence (1966-1979)
| Head of State | Name | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Himself | Yakubu Gowon | 1 August 1966 | 29 July 1975 |
| Murtala Muhammed | Illiya Bisalla | 29 July 1975 | 13 February 1976 |
| Himself | Olusegun Obasanjo | 13 February 1976 | 1 October 1979 |
Minister of Defence (1979-1983)
| President | Name | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shehu Shagari | Iya Abubakar | 24 October 1979 | January 1981 |
| Akanbi Oniyangi | January 1981 | 1983 |
Federal Commissioner of Defence (1983-1999)
| Head of State | Name | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Muhammadu Buhari | Domkat Bali | 1984 | December 1989 |
| Himself | Ibrahim Babangida | December 1989 | August 1990 |
| Ibrahim Babangida
Himself |
Sani Abacha | September 1990 | June 1998 |
| Himself | Abdulsalami Abubakar | June 1998 | May 1999 |
Minister of Defence (1999-Present)
| President | Name | Term start | Term end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Olusegun Obasanjo | Theophilus Danjuma[2] | June 1999 | May 2003 |
| Rabiu Kwankwaso[3] | July 2003 | May 2007 | |
| Umaru Musa Yar'Adua | Yayale Ahmed | 26 July 2007 | 8 September 2008 |
| Shettima Mustapha | 17 December 2008 | 14 July 2009 | |
| Godwin Abbe | 14 July 2009 | 17 March 2010 | |
| Umaru Musa Yar'Adua | Adetokunbo Kayode | 6 April 2010 | 30 June 2011 |
| Goodluck Jonathan | Haliru Mohammed Bello | July 2011 | 22 June 2012 |
| Olusola Obada[4] | July 2012 | September 2013 | |
| Labaran Maku (Supervising)[5] | September 2013 | March 2014 | |
| Aliyu Mohammed Gusau[6] | 5 March 2014 | 29 May 2015 | |
| Muhammadu Buhari | Mansur Mohammed Dan Ali[7] | 11 November 2015 | 29 May 2019 |
| Bashir Salihi Magashi[8] | 21 August 2019 | 29 May 2023 | |
| Bola Tinubu | Mohammed Badaru Abubakar[9] | 21 August 2023 | 1 December 2025 |
| Christopher Gwabin Musa[10] | 4 December 2025 | Present |