The government of Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with Africa’s financial leaders to build a continent “where profit coexists with purpose, and risks become catalysts for innovation.”

This assurance came from Nana Oye Bampoe Addo, Deputy Chief of Staff at the presidency, during the 2025 Conference of African Chief Financial Officers (CACFO) held in Accra.

She emphasised that Africa’s institutional strength depends on Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) ensuring efficiency through value-for-money principles, transparency, and accountability.

“Finance leaders hold the keys to sustainable progress. Our institutions must not only be profitable but purposeful, serving society while driving innovation,” she stated.

The annual CACFO summit has become a strategic forum for African CFOs to reflect on shared challenges in managing complex financial portfolios amid global uncertainties.

With the lingering effects of the pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and economic volatility, the role of CFOs has become increasingly critical to corporate stability and growth.

This year’s edition, themed “Profit, Risk and Scalability,” explored emerging issues shaping financial leadership on the continent. Discussions covered Sustainable Financing and ESG, AfCFTA and trade finance, Artificial Intelligence (AI) in African project finance, credit and liquidity management, and corporate governance and risk in post-pandemic Africa.

Executive Director of CACFO, Ms Hannah Awuku, told journalists that the conference, one of the largest gatherings of finance executives in Africa, provides an invaluable platform for exchanging ideas and best practices. “It is a space where experience meets aspiration, where today’s leaders inspire tomorrow’s innovators,” she said.

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Export-Import Bank (GEXIM), Mr Sylvester Adinam Mensah, in his keynote address, urged Africa’s financial leaders to move “from managing volatility to designing resilience; from reacting to global trends to shaping them.”

He called for deliberate steps to strengthen intra-African financial systems, including interoperable payment networks, unified credit markets, and robust cross-border investment frameworks.

Mr Mensah also underscored the need for deeper collaboration between development finance institutions and private capital to drive industrialisation and green transition across the continent.

He further highlighted the importance of investing in the next generation of CFOs, particularly young and female finance leaders, whose innovation and diversity, he said, “will redefine the future of Africa’s financial leadership.”