Nigerian Exchange Capitalisation Rises to ₦103.78tn as Equity Investors Gain ₦934bn

The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) sustained its bullish run on Friday, closing the week firmly in positive territory as renewed buying interest lifted market capitalisation and boosted investor wealth.

The All-Share Index advanced by 0.93 per cent to close at 162,298.08 points, reflecting sustained optimism across key stocks. As a result, the total value of listed equities on the local bourse expanded to ₦103.78 trillion, with investors recording gains of approximately ₦934 billion during the session.

Market sentiment remained strong, supported by broad-based demand that drove a 0.93 per cent improvement in major performance indicators. Heavyweight stocks such as MTN Nigeria, which gained 7.63 per cent, Dangote Sugar Refinery, up 9.23 per cent, and Lafarge Africa (WAPCO), which rose by 2.04 per cent, were among the key drivers of the rally.

Market breadth closed firmly positive at 1.68 times, as 47 stocks recorded price appreciation against 28 decliners. Industrial and consumer-facing counters dominated the gainers’ chart, with IMG, McNichols and SCOA each appreciating by the maximum 10.00 per cent. On the losing side, Alex Industries shed 9.91 per cent, while Austin Laz declined by 9.83 per cent.

Trading activity painted a mixed picture. Total volume traded declined by 3.25 per cent to 624.1 million shares, while the value of transactions rose sharply by 12.61 per cent to ₦18.5 billion, indicating increased participation in higher-priced equities.

ETranzact International led the volume chart, accounting for 73.0 million shares or 11.7 per cent of total turnover. Unilever Nigeria emerged as the most traded stock by value, with transactions worth ₦1.8 billion, representing 9.7 per cent of total market value.

Sectoral performance closed largely positive, with four of the six major indices ending the session in the green. The Industrial Goods index led the gainers with a 0.44 per cent increase, followed by the Consumer Goods index, which rose by 0.20 per cent on the back of strong buying interest in Dangote Sugar and Lafarge Africa.

The Insurance index edged up by 0.06 per cent, supported by gains in Mansard Insurance, while the Commodity index added 0.02 per cent, driven by modest appreciation in Okomu Oil Palm. In contrast, the Oil and Gas index slipped by 0.15 per cent due to sell pressure in Oando, while the Banking index declined by 0.13 per cent, weighed down by losses in First HoldCo.

Overall trading metrics remained divergent, as total deal count eased by 1.34 per cent to 43,816 transactions, even as transaction value surged to ₦18.52 billion, underscoring sustained investor confidence in select equities on the Nigerian Exchange.