Meet Priscilla Ekwere Eleje, the first woman in Nigeria's 59-year history to have her signature on the 1000 naira note

Priscilla Ekwere Eleje has just become the first Nigerian woman to ever have her signature on the 1000 naira note.

New naira notes will now bear her signature as well as that Godwin Emefiele, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This groundbreaking moment occurs 59 years after the Nigerian currency was created.

Newly printed N1,000 notes will now carry Mrs Priscilla Eleje's signature (witter/TVCconnect) Pulse Nigeria

Meet this gamechanger

Mrs Eleje is a woman of many firsts. She is the first female director of currency at CBN.

She is also the new Substantive Director of CBN. This new appointment explains why her signature is now on Naira notes.

Prior to this, she was an Acting Director of Currency and Operations at CBN. Her new role as Substantive Director was confirmed on Thursday, August 30, 2018.

She has just succeeded in breaking two different CBN records at the same time - becoming the first female director of currency and having her signature on a Naira note.

The game-changing N1,000 note (thecable) Pulse Nigeria

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Educational background

Mrs Eleje is a psychology graduate of the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Nigeria.

She holds a Banking and Management degree at Boston University, Massachusetts, USA and is a Certified Information System Auditor (CISA).

She is also an alumnus of the prestigious Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship programme, which is "brings young and mid-career professionals from designated countries to the United States for a year of non-degree graduate-level study, leadership development, and professional collaboration with U.S. counterparts."

Nothing is known about her personal life.

The history of women and the Nigerian currency

Before Mrs Eleje, there was Sarah Alade, the only woman who has come close to achieving this incredible feat.

She was appointed the head, fiscal analysis division of the CBN. She eventually becomes the deputy governor (Economic Policy).

Dr Sarah Alade ece-auto-gen

Following the suspension of Lamido Sanusi Lamido as governor of CBN, she became the acting CBN governor. She is the first and only woman to hold this position.

Mrs Alade was in office from February 20, 2014, to June 3, 2014. She was succeeded by the current CBN governor - Emefiele. There are reports that Emefiele is doing his best to have more women in CBN.

Fun Fact -, Nigeria's foremost potter, is the only woman on the naira. She can be found on the N20 note.