The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) closed the first trading week of 2026 on a strong footing as broad-based buying across equities lifted key market indicators, supported by improved liquidity and strong participation in financial, ICT, and consumer stocks.
The NGX All-Share Index (ASI) appreciated by 1.92% to close the week at 156,492.36 points, while equity market capitalisation rose by 2.09% to ₦99.94 trillion.
Trading Sessions and Market Turnover
The market opened for four trading days during the week as the Federal Government declared Thursday, January 1, 2026, a public holiday to mark the New Year celebration.
A total of 7.82 billion shares valued at ₦134.47 billion were traded in 150,799 deals, significantly higher than the 2.88 billion shares worth ₦63.83 billion exchanged in 80,229 deals in the preceding week.
Sectoral Activity Breakdown
The Financial Services Industry dominated trading activity, recording 5.99 billion shares valued at ₦67.02 billion traded in 55,598 deals, accounting for 76.61% of total market volume and 49.84% of turnover value.
The ICT Industry followed with 946.96 million shares worth ₦8.03 billion traded in 15,443 deals, while the Consumer Goods Industry ranked third with 258.82 million shares valued at ₦9.38 billion across 24,133 deals.
Most Traded Stocks
Trading in Cornerstone Insurance Plc, Chams Holding Company Plc, and Access Holdings Plc (measured by volume) accounted for 5.32 billion shares valued at ₦37.36 billion traded in 10,441 deals, contributing 67.97% of total equity volume and 27.78% of total market value.
Equity Turnover – Daily Breakdown
-
December 29, 2025: 1.47 billion shares worth ₦35.53 billion
-
December 30, 2025: 4.68 billion shares worth ₦38.86 billion
-
December 31, 2025: 1.23 billion shares worth ₦35.13 billion
-
January 2, 2026: 439.92 million shares worth ₦24.95 billion
Market Breadth
Market sentiment strengthened during the week:
-
73 equities appreciated in price, higher than 44 in the previous week
-
23 equities depreciated, lower than 30 previously
-
51 equities closed unchanged, compared with 73 in the prior week
Index Performance
All major NGX indices closed higher during the week:
-
NGX Banking Index: +2.96%
-
NGX Insurance Index: +5.93%
-
NGX AFR Dividend Yield Index: +5.39%
-
NGX MERI Growth Index: +4.99%
-
NGX Consumer Goods Index: +3.44%
-
NGX Oil and Gas Index: +1.16%
Top Price Gainers
The strongest performers during the week were led by industrial, consumer, and financial stocks:
-
Austin Laz & Company Plc gained 45.94%
-
Aluminium Extrusion Industries Plc rose 45.57%
-
Eunisell Interlinked Plc advanced 43.26%
-
Associated Bus Company Plc appreciated 37.92%
-
Honeywell Flour Mills Plc added 29.58%
-
Fidson Healthcare Plc, Deap Capital Management & Trust Plc, McNichols Plc, Ikeja Hotel Plc, and C & I Leasing Plc also posted strong gains.
Top Price Decliners
Losses were recorded in select banking, consumer, and energy stocks:
-
eTranzact International Plc declined 9.92%
-
First HoldCo Plc shed 7.92%
-
LivingTrust Mortgage Bank Plc lost 7.61%
-
CAP Plc dropped 6.76%
-
Champion Breweries Plc fell 6.67%
-
Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, and Seplat Energy Plc also closed lower.
Capital Market Development
During the week, Chapel Hill Denham Management Limited listed 1,588,617,222 units of ₦100.00 each at ₦103.00 per unit of its Nigeria Real Estate Investment Trust (NREIT) on the Main Board of Nigerian Exchange Limited.
The listing, which took place on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, was executed by introduction under the ₦400 billion NREIT issuance programme, expanding the depth of Nigeria’s real estate investment market.
Market Outlook
The strong opening to 2026 reflects renewed investor confidence, driven by aggressive accumulation in industrial, consumer, and financial stocks. With liquidity returning after the holiday period and new listings strengthening market depth, sentiment is expected to remain positive, though selective, as investors reposition for the first quarter of the year.
