Aliyu Mai-Bornu

Mallam Aliyu Mai-Bornu (1919 to February 23, 1970) was a Nigerian economist, and the first indigenous Governor of the Nigerian Central Bank.

Mai-Bornu was born in 1919 and began elementary school in 1932. He later transferred to Yola Middle School, later proceeding to the then Kaduna College in 1938. He finished in 1942 after qualifying as an English language teacher.

Mallam Mai-Bornu taught English at his alma mater, Yola Middle School, from 1942 to 1946. He then moved on to Kaduna College, where he served in the same capacity. In 1954, he served as House Tutor at the Veterinary School in Vom before moving to Bristol University in the same year, to study Economics.

After his graduation in 1957, he returned to Nigeria and served with the Northern Nigeria Public Service as an Administrative Officer where he held various positions before his secondment to the Central Bank of Nigeria in 1959 as an Assistant Secretary. At the CBN, Mallam Mai-Bornu went on to become the Deputy Secretary and Secretary before his appointment as Deputy Governor in 1962. He became the first indigenous Governor of the Bank in 1963 and retired from its service in 1967. He was thereafter appointed Director and General Manager of the Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC). Although he resigned his appointment at the NTC in 1969, he continued to serve as a member of the Board of Directors until his death on the 23rd of February, 1970.