The chief of defence staff (CDS) is the 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.
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 Olufemi Oluyede, who succeeded General Christopher Musa in October 2025
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 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:
The chiefs have been: