Bashir Salihi Magashi CFR CON (born 1 October 1949) is a retired Nigerian Army major general who served as the defence minister of Nigeria from 2019 to 2023.

[1] He served as governor of Sokoto State from August 1990 to January 1992 during the military regime of General Ibrahim Babangida,[2] and as commandant of the Nigerian Defence Academy from 1998 to 1999.

He also attended the Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria, where he obtained an advanced diploma in public administration, LL.B.

[5] In August 2019, he was appointed minister of defence of Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari, and served till 29 May 2023.

[6] An investigation by Nigerian-based Newspaper – Premium Times, reported that Magashi as army officer was engaged in illegal oil crude oil allocation and funds from trade to the tune of $550,000 at Jersey UK, branch of Bank PNP Paribus.

In October 2022, a Nigerian national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.