The Association of Corporate Treasurers of Nigeria (ACTN) has urged businesses to adopt a forward-looking approach to financial management, as rising market uncertainties and changing financing conditions increase the need for better cash-flow planning and risk management.
Adeyinka Ogunnubi, president and chairman of the ACTN council, said companies must move beyond responding to financial pressures to anticipating risks and making informed decisions that support business growth.
He made this known at a press conference in Lagos to unveil the fifth edition of the Treasury360 Conference, Exhibition and Corporate Treasury Awards 2026.
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“Organisations now need their treasury teams to look further ahead: to spot emerging risks, test different scenarios and offer insight that supports sound business decisions,” he said.
According to him, treasury management has traditionally focused on managing cash, executing payments, arranging funding and responding to financial risks.
However, businesses now need treasury teams that can identify emerging risks, assess different scenarios and provide insights to guide corporate decisions.
He said effective treasury management was critical to businesses’ ability to meet financial obligations, pay suppliers, support employees, fund investments and remain resilient during periods of uncertainty.
Ogunnubi noted that companies with better visibility over their cash positions could plan more effectively, while those that understand their foreign exchange and funding exposures were better positioned to make informed financial decisions.
“When a business has better visibility over its cash, it plans more effectively. When it understands its foreign exchange and funding exposures, it makes better-informed decisions,” he said.
He added that treasury teams must work closely with chief financial officers and other business leaders to ensure financial information informs investment decisions, protects liquidity and identifies growth opportunities.
The ACTN president also stressed that effective financial planning depends on the stability and transparency of the markets in which businesses operate.
He said the association had consistently advocated market efficiency, transparency and genuine price discovery in Nigeria’s financial markets, arguing that these were necessary for businesses to plan with greater confidence.
According to him, transparent price discovery encourages market participation and liquidity, while more stable rates and reduced volatility help businesses make long-term financial decisions.
Ogunnubi welcomed the monetary policy reforms introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria, including foreign exchange market unification, the willing-buyer, willing-seller regime and the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System.
He also highlighted the introduction of the Nigerian Overnight Financing Rate (NOFR), saying the benchmark would provide a common reference for financial contracts and improve loan pricing, financial documentation and risk management.
NOFR, which is derived from actual overnight secured transactions, is expected to provide greater clarity on the cost of money for borrowers and lenders.
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Ogunnubi said the association was committed to supporting corporate treasurers in understanding how the new benchmark would feature in their financing arrangements, contracts and financial forecasts.
But he also urged government and regulators to maintain clear, consistent and predictable policies, noting that businesses make investment, funding, trade and employment decisions over long periods.
He called for deeper financial markets, sustained investment in digital infrastructure and stronger collaboration between regulators and businesses to improve the operating environment.
The 2026 Treasury360 Conference, Exhibition and Corporate Treasury Awards will be held on November 26 and 27 at the MUSON Centre, Lagos.
The conference is themed ‘The Intelligent Treasury: Evolving from Reactive to Proactive Foresight Through AI, Automation and Predictive Decision-Making.’
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Feyishola Jaiyesimi is a writer and storyteller. She currently writes for the energy desk at BusinessDay with a focus on renewable energy and environmental issues. She began her journalism career as an agricultural reporter and now covers the energy sector, including oil, gas, electricity, environment, and renewables. She has been selected for professional training by the US Consulate, Lagos. She is a 2025 Dataphyte Biodiversity Reporting Fellow. Feyishola holds a bachelor’s degree in Zoology and Environmental Biology from Ekiti State University.
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