He was commissioned as 2nd lieutenant in the Nigerian Army Reconnaissance Corps before moving to the Armoured Corp. He held various posts in the army, including Brigade Major, Aide-de-Camp to Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Theophilus Danjuma, academic registrar of the Nigerian Defense Academy and deputy defense adviser in the Nigerian Embassy in Washington, DC. In 1990, he was appointed Governor of Borno State. In 1992, he became the defense adviser to the Nigerian Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
Lagos State Governor
From 1996 to 1999 Marwa was Military Governor of Lagos State. During his administration, he implemented programs such as "Operation 250 Roads" which greatly improved motoring conditions. He revamping public health institutions, and ensured that free malaria treatment that was available to all. His administration upgraded infrastructure in poor neighborhoods. He proclaimed an edict to regulate rents, stopping the "Jankara" method of eviction of tenants and ensuring that due process was followed. Marwa became well respected in Lagos because of "Operation Sweep", a joint police and military venture that helped reduce Lagos' notorious crime rate. In February 1998, Buba Marwa said on Nigerian state radio and television that unknown persons were again trying to assassinate him, and that he and his entourage had been the target of several bomb attacks starting in 1996. He said that he would not be intimidated. In May 1998, Mohammed Buba Marwa imposed fuel rationing in Lagos State in an attempt to tackle petrol shortages and reduce chronic queuing at petrol stations. In July 1998, Marwa opened a new asphalt plant in Lagos, the largest in Nigeria.
Later career
After retiring from the Nigerian army at the end of his term as Lagos State governor, Brigadier General Marwa founded Albarka Airlines and the Buba Marwa Endowment. In September, 2003, Buba Marwa gave up his position of Chairman / Chief Executive Officer of Albarka Airlines. In May 2007, the government of Nigeria withdrew the operating licenses of Albarka Airlines in controversial circumstance, some say for political reasons. In December 2006, Marwa had announced he would be running in the People's Democratic Party primaries to become the party's candidate for President of Nigeria. His bid was unsuccessful, and he gave his support to Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, who went on to become president. In 2007 he was appointed Nigeria’s High Commissioner to the Republic of South Africa. Marwa then in 2011 was the gubernatorial candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC in his Adamawa home state against the then incumbent governor Murtala Nyako. Marwa decamped from APC due to complaints of unfair treatment of his followers after his party CPC merged with ANPP and the ACN following the decamping of Governor Nyako to the same party. In June 2015, Marwa returned to the APC with his followers following the swearing in President Muhammadu Buhari on May 29, 2015.
