Aliyu Mai-Bornu

Aliyu Mai-Bornu (1919 – 23 February 1970) was the first indigenous Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Aliyu Mai-Bornu
Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria
In office 25 July 1963 – 22 June 1967
Preceded by	Roy Pentelow Fenton
Succeeded by	Clement Nyong Isong
Personal details
Born	1919
Died	23 February 1970

Early life and education

Mai-Bornu was born in Gongola now Yola. Mai-Bornu attended Yola Elementary School, Yola Middle School, and was went to Kaduna College where he graduated in as an English language teacher. He started his teaching career at Yola Middle School before going to work at Kaduna College and soon joined the Northern Teachers Association. He returned to Yola as deputy headmaster of the Yola Middle School and later left Yola to be a House Tutor at the Veterinary School in Vom for five months. He earned a government scholarship to travel abroad and studied Economics at Bristol University in the United Kingdom.

Career

Mai-Bornu began his civil service career at post as Administrative Officer with the Northern Nigeria Public Service, serving in the Public Service Commission and Ministry of Finance and Trade. When the Central Bank started operations in 1959, he was appointed second to the Central Bank of Nigeria as an Assistant Secretary. Subsequently he rapidly rose through the ranks from assistant secretary to deputy secretary, then secretary. He became the first indigenous Nigerian to be appointed Deputy Governor. On July 25, 1963, Mai-Bornu was appointed Governor of the Central Bank (1963–1967). After leaving the bank, he was appointed Director and General Manager of the Nigerian Tobacco Company (1967–1969). He served on the Board of Directors of the company until his death on the 23rd of February, 1970.

Legacy

His portrait features on the 1,000 Naira note brought into circulation on October 12, 2005.