The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) commenced trading for 2026 on a bullish note on Friday, January 2, as renewed buying interest across select mid-cap and insurance stocks lifted the benchmark index.
The NGX All-Share Index (ASI) advanced by 0.57% to close at 156,492.36 points, while equity market capitalisation rose to ₦99.94 trillion.
Market Activity Overview
Trading activity remained active despite the holiday-shortened week. A total of 439.95 million shares valued at ₦24.97 billion were exchanged in 40,245 deals.
The bond market capitalisation stood at ₦51.48 trillion, while no ETF market capitalisation was recorded for the session.
Top Gainers
Gains were driven mainly by insurance, transport, and industrial stocks:
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FTN Cocoa Processors Plc gained 10.00% to close at ₦5.50
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Deap Capital Management & Trust Plc rose 10.00% to ₦2.09
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Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc advanced 10.00% to ₦3.41
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ABC Transport Plc added 10.00% to ₦4.51
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Alexis Plc appreciated 9.93% to close at ₦23.80
Top Losers
Losses were recorded mainly in banking, insurance, and energy stocks:
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Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc declined 6.25% to ₦6.00
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FCMB Group Plc fell 4.56% to ₦11.50
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Seplat Energy Plc dropped 3.43% to ₦5,610.00
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Guinea Insurance Plc shed 2.26% to ₦1.30
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Universal Insurance Plc lost 1.65% to ₦1.19
Most Actively Traded Stocks (By Volume)
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Chams Holding Company Plc led trading with 120.30 million shares, valued at ₦455.10 million
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Linkage Assurance Plc followed with 21.24 million shares worth ₦38.30 million
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Lasaco Assurance Plc recorded 19.50 million shares, valued at ₦48.58 million
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Aradel Holdings Plc traded 15.59 million shares worth ₦10.74 billion
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Access Holdings Plc posted 14.28 million shares, valued at ₦317.28 million
Bonds Market
Trading in the fixed-income segment closed flat, with all listed instruments ending unchanged:
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ABDB 2021 Series 1
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BUA 2027 Series 1
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Dangote 2032 Series 2
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FGN 2034 Series 2
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FGN 2036 Series 2
ETF Market Performance
ETFs recorded strong gains across key instruments:
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SIAML ETF 40 surged ₦177.60 to close at ₦1,954.00
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Stanbic ETF 30 gained ₦96.92 to ₦1,066.14
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MERI Growth ETF advanced ₦35.00 to ₦460.00
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Vetiva Griffin 30 ETF rose to ₦55.00
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Vetiva Industrial ETF closed flat at ₦60.00
Market Outlook
The positive start to 2026 reflects renewed investor confidence following year-end repositioning. While gains were concentrated in select mid-cap and insurance stocks, sustained participation in ETFs and steady activity in large-cap equities suggest cautious optimism as the market settles into the new trading year.
