African finance leaders might not sit at the US-China tariffs negotiating table, but the ripple effects of those decisions reach their balance sheets all the same.
As the world’s two largest economies continue their tariff tango; with China recently hiking tariffs on $18 billion worth of US goods, African businesses are facing rising input costs, disrupted supply chains, and greater pressure to find alternative sourcing strategies. For CFOs in Nigeria and across the continent, these tensions are no longer background noise. They’re an urgent call to recalibrate.
Here’s what’s at stake with the US-China Tariffs and what high-performing CFOs should be doing right now.
1. Input Costs Are No Longer Predictable But Cash Flow Must Be
When tariffs shift, so do prices. For African manufacturers, importers, and retailers who rely on Chinese intermediaries or US tech inputs, these changes can erode margins overnight. Even businesses without direct trade links are affected, as global demand reshuffles and shipping lanes reprioritize.
Why this matters to CFOs: Rising costs demand faster decision-making. Finance teams must track supplier price changes in real time, update forecasts more frequently, and revalidate every budget assumption not quarterly, but constantly.
Tip: Smart CFOs are now investing in finance tools that give instant visibility into spending, cash flow and complete global payments because waiting till month-end is too late.
2. Supply Chain Fragility Is Now a CFO Problem
What used to be a procurement headache is now a finance concern. With shipping bottlenecks, fluctuating exchange rates, and sourcing volatility, African CFOs must step into more strategic roles: evaluating alternative suppliers, financing bulk buys, and managing forex exposures.
Tip: World-class CFOs don’t just ask “how much?” they ask “what if?”
They model scenarios, hedge risks, and ensure the business can pivot financially when the supply chain does operationally.
3. Currency Volatility Is Accelerating
Trade tensions tend to spark investor nerves which often means more volatility in global currency markets. For African companies paying in USD or RMB, this creates unpredictability in accounts payable and receivable. For CFOs, it’s another reason to tighten controls and improve speed of decision-making.
What great CFOs do differently:
- Introduce FX buffers in payment approvals
- Monitor real-time spend by currency
- Push for faster vendor payments when rates are favorable
- Automate settlements to avoid losses due to delays
4. Finance Teams Must Become More Agile
Gone are the days when finance was reactive. In today’s trade climate, agility isn’t a nice-to-have, it’s survival. The top CFOs across Africa are reshaping their teams into high-output, cross-functional units capable of adapting weekly, not quarterly.
The future-ready African CFO is a builder: of talent, of systems, and of resilience.
5. Digital Tools Are the CFO’s Best Trade Strategy
You can’t control Washington or Beijing. But you can control how quickly your team moves, how accurately you see your data, and how efficiently you manage payments, vendors, and approvals.
That’s why leading CFOs across Africa are turning to payment software solutions built for local realities like Duplo.
Why Duplo?
Duplo gives finance teams a real-time dashboard for:
- Completing global payment transactions quickly and easily
- Tracking vendor payments across currencies
- Approving spend faster, with customizable workflows
- Reconciling accounts in minutes, not hours
- Ensuring payment visibility company-wide
While the world argues over tariffs, your job is to keep your business liquid, compliant, and competitive. Duplo helps you do just that.
Try Duplo today and give your enterprise the tools to win.
