The evolving role of the Chief Financial Officer took centre stage at the 6th edition of the Africa Finance Festival (AFF) 2026, as finance executives from across Africa argued that the modern CFO has moved far beyond spreadsheets, compliance, and reporting to become one of the most strategic voices shaping enterprise growth, innovation, governance, and long-term sustainability.
The high-level session, themed “The CFO as Chief Value Architect: From Financial Steward to Strategic Co-Pilot,” brought together leading voices from fintech, development banking, consulting, and the public sector in what became one of the most engaging conversations of the festival.
Panelists included Chinomso Nwachukwu, Chief Financial Officer, Nigeria, Interswitch, Gbenga Adepetu, Partner, PwC and Finance Advisory Leader, West Market Area, Mr. Paul Ampadu, Finance Director, Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority, Ghana, and Dkt. Kaanaeli G. Nnko, Director of Finance, Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank.
What emerged from the discussion was a clear consensus: the CFO role in Africa is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in corporate history, driven by technology, ESG accountability, digital finance, data visibility, and heightened stakeholder expectations.
For Ms Nwachukwu the transformation is already operational and measurable in real time. Speaking on how technology has radically changed financial oversight, Nwachukwu explained that modern CFOs no longer wait until month-end to understand performance trends.
“Today is the twelfth of May. If I want to know the revenues the company has made as at today, I just need to pick up my phone and check,” she said. “Eighty-five percent of my revenue is transactional — I know how much we made T plus one.”
According to her, this level of visibility fundamentally changes the role of finance leaders from passive reporters of outcomes to active participants in business decision-making. She noted that with automated systems now handling much of the traditional reconciliation and reporting workload, finance leaders are spending less time producing numbers and more time interpreting data, identifying patterns, and influencing strategic decisions.
“If I see a dip in volumes from a customer in a particular region, I can spot it immediately and start asking questions,” she explained. “That is how you go from steward to co-pilot.”
Nwachukwu added that soft leadership skills are becoming increasingly important in modern finance leadership, particularly stakeholder management and executive communication. “As a CFO, you manage a lot of big egos,” she said. “Knowing how to balance it, communicate effectively, and carry the room with you is the skill that separates those who succeed from those who don’t.”
Offering a development finance perspective, Dr. Nnko highlighted how ESG reporting and stakeholder expectations have significantly expanded the scope of financial leadership.
According to Dr. Nnko, financial statements that once focused narrowly on profitability and growth have evolved into broader institutional narratives around environmental sustainability, governance, and social impact.
“We are telling more stories compared to what we did in 2016,” he noted. “In 2016, we were just talking about profitability and balanced growth. Now we are talking about ESG — what are we doing for the environment, how are we being socially responsible.”
Dr.Nnko revealed that despite growing reporting obligations, technological advancements have enabled the bank to streamline its finance operations considerably. “Technology has made our lives easier,” he said humorously, “but it has also made us busier.”
From the public sector perspective, Paul Ampadu of Ghana’s Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority offered insights into how public institutions are increasingly embracing commercial discipline, innovation, and digital transformation.
Ampadu explained that the DVLA has evolved from a fully government-funded institution into a revenue-generating agency capable of contributing financial surpluses back into Ghana’s consolidated national fund. He described how the organisation introduced premium service centres as part of a cross-subsidy model designed to improve customer experience while generating additional income.
“If you don’t want to spend two or three hours in a queue, you can come to our premium and prestige centers,” he said. “We sell you coffee. You sit quietly. We bring all the services to you — and you pay a premium. That has been a game changer for us.”
He further revealed that the DVLA now deploys artificial intelligence tools to monitor all 82 of its revenue collection centres across Ghana in real time, enabling instant transaction oversight and improved financial accountability.
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Providing a consulting and enterprise transformation perspective, Gbenga Adepetu of PwC argued that the CFO has become one of the most strategically influential executives within modern organisations.
“The CFO has moved away from the person who just keeps the record to somebody who now performs at an enterprise-wide level — transformation, performance, risk, control,” Adepetu said. “The reason is simple: the CFO is the one who understands both the organisation and the market.”
The panel also explored whether CFOs are increasingly becoming natural successors to CEOs, particularly in sectors such as banking and manufacturing, where financial leadership now intersects deeply with enterprise strategy, transformation, and operational oversight. Panelists generally agreed that commercially aware and strategically minded CFOs are now well-positioned for broader executive leadership roles.
As the discussion drew to a close, panelists reflected on the qualities future finance leaders must possess to remain relevant in an increasingly digital and interconnected economy. The responses revealed a strong alignment around adaptability, technology, commercial awareness, and lifelong learning.
Ampadu emphasised digital fluency. Adepetu highlighted strategic adaptability. Dr. Nnko stressed continuous learning, while Machibu pointed to commercial awareness as the defining capability for future CFOs.
Collectively, the session reinforced one of the central themes emerging from AFF 2026: that Africa’s finance leaders are no longer simply custodians of numbers, but architects of institutional resilience, innovation, governance, and long-term economic value.
