The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) is the professional head of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the minister of defence and the president of Nigeria. The chief of the defence staff is based at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja and works alongside the Permanent Secretary of Defence. The Chief of Defence is the highest ranking officer to currently serve in the armed forces.

It is occupied by the most senior commissioned officer appointed by the President of Nigeria. The position was established for the first time under Nigeria's 1979 constitution.

The current chief of defence staff is General Christopher Musa, who succeeded General Lucky Irabor in June 2023.

The Chief of Defence Staff gives operational directives to the Nigerian Armed Forces through the service chiefs and reports to the commander-in-Chief with administrative supervision of the Honourable Minister of Defence. It is the duty and responsibility of the CDS to formulate and execute policies, programmes towards the highest attainment of National Security and operational competence of the Armed Forces namely; the Army, Navy and Air Force.

The CDS is assisted by the other Service Chiefs:

• Chief of Army Staff
• Chief of the Naval Staff
• Chief of the Air Staff

The chiefs have been:^[1]

More information No., Portrait ...

No.	Portrait	Chief of Defence Staff	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Defence branch	Ref.
1		Akinrinade, Ipoola AlaniLieutenant General Ipoola Alani Akinrinade (born 1939)	15 April 1980	2 October 1981	1 year, 170 days	Nigerian Army	–
2		Jalo, GibsonLieutenant General Gibson Jalo (1939–2000)	2 October 1981	31 December 1983	2 years, 90 days	Nigerian Army	–
3		Bali, DomkatGeneral Domkat Bali (1940–2020) Defence Minister	1 January 1984	August 1990	6 years, 212 days	Nigerian Army	–
4		Abacha, SaniGeneral Sani Abacha (1943–1998) later military ruler	August 1990	17 November 1993	3 years, 108 days	Nigerian Army	–
5		Diya, OladipoLieutenant General Oladipo Diya (1944–2023) Chief of General Staff	17 November 1993	21 December 1997	4 years, 34 days	Nigerian Army	–
6		Abubakar, AbdulsalamiMajor General Abdulsalami Abubakar (born 1942) later military ruler	21 December 1997	9 June 1998	170 days	Nigerian Army	–
7		Daggash, Al-AminAir Marshal Al-Amin Daggash (born 1942)	9 June 1998	29 May 1999	354 days	Nigerian Air Force	–
8		Ogohi, IbrahimAdmiral Ibrahim Ogohi (born 1948)	29 May 1999	27 June 2003	4 years, 29 days	Nigerian Navy	–
9		Ogomudia, AlexanderGeneral Alexander Ogomudia (born 1949)	27 June 2003	1 June 2006	2 years, 339 days	Nigerian Army	–
10		Agwai, Martin LutherGeneral Martin Luther Agwai (born 1948) Later Commander of the UNAMID	1 June 2006	25 May 2007	358 days	Nigerian Army	–
11		Azazi, Owoye AndrewGeneral Owoye Andrew Azazi (1952–2012)	25 May 2007	20 August 2008	1 year, 87 days	Nigerian Army	–
12		Dike, PaulAir Chief Marshal Paul Dike (born 1950)	20 August 2008	8 September 2010	2 years, 19 days	Nigerian Air Force	–
13		Petinrin, OluseyiAir Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin (born 1955)	8 September 2010	4 October 2012	2 years, 26 days	Nigerian Air Force	–
14		Ibrahim, OlaAdmiral Ola Ibrahim (born 1955)	4 October 2012	20 January 2014	1 year, 108 days	Nigerian Navy	–
15		Badeh, AlexAir Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh (1957–2018)	20 January 2014	21 July 2015	1 year, 182 days	Nigerian Air Force	–
16		Olonisakin, AbayomiGeneral Abayomi Gabriel Olonisakin (born 1961)	21 July 2015	29 January 2021	5 years, 192 days	Nigerian Army	–
17		Irabor, LuckyGeneral Lucky Irabor (born 1965)	29 January 2021	23 June 2023	2 years, 145 days	Nigerian Army	–
18		Musa, ChristopherGeneral Christopher Gwabin Musa (born 1967)	23 June 2023	Incumbent	291 days	Nigerian Army	–

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