Musa made the revelation while addressing the lawmakers during his ministerial screening, stressing that the cost of contemporary military technology requires careful budgeting and strategic deployment.
Nigeria’s former Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa (rtd.), on Wednesday briefed the Senate on the steep financial demands of modern warfare, disclosing that a single medium-range precision missile used in drone operations costs $100,000, which is about N150 million.
He stressed that each single medium-range precision missile fired, whether it hits the target or not, means N150 million gone.
“A medium-range precision missile for a drone is $100,000, which is about N150 million. Once you fire one, N150 million has gone, whether it hits the target or not,” he told the Senate.
The former defence chief said the figures underscore the need for improved defence planning and enhanced investment in technology-driven operations as Nigeria continues to confront terrorism, banditry, and other security challenges.
He added that the military must adapt to modern combat realities, which rely heavily on sophisticated and costly equipment.
Musa appeared before the Senate for screening following his nomination by President Bola Tinubu as the new Minister of Defence.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, earlier read Tinubu’s request during plenary, urging lawmakers to consider and approve the ex-CDS as a replacement for former Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru, who resigned on Monday, citing health reasons.
Akpabio thereafter directed the suspension of Senate rules to allow the retired military chief into the chamber for the proper screening.
Tinubu’s letter, transmitted to the upper chamber on Tuesday, expressed confidence in Musa’s capacity to “strengthen Nigeria’s security framework” and reposition the ministry at a time the nation is battling worsening insecurity.
The nomination was earlier confirmed in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
Meanwhile, during the screening, Senator Akpabio openly reprimanded Senator Sani Musa for suggesting that Musa should simply take a bow and go.
A visibly displeased Akpabio insisted the security challenges confronting the country made the suggestion inappropriate, stating it was not a time for routine courtesy.
However, after a five-hour screening session by the lawmakers, the former Chief of Defence Staff was confirmed as Nigeria’s new Minister of Defence.
Musa’s confirmation as the new defence minister comes amid rising security concerns across the nation, as the government seeks to strengthen its defence architecture and curb insurgency, banditry, and other security threats.
Musa was commissioned into the Nigerian Army as a Second Lieutenant in 1991 and rose through various command and staff appointments.
In 2021, he was appointed Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, and subsequently headed the Nigerian Army Infantry Corps before his elevation to Chief of Defence Staff in 2023.
His predecessor, Badaru, who assumed office as minister on August 21, 2023, stepped down on Monday after admitting in his resignation letter that he could no longer effectively discharge his duties due to ill health.
Badaru recently drew public backlash after a BBC Hausa interview in which he claimed some terrorists were difficult to target because their forest hideouts were “too dense for bombs to reach.”
