The Nigerian stock market recorded a major milestone on Monday as the NGX All-Share Index crossed the 201,000-point mark for the first time, reflecting sustained bullish momentum and growing investor confidence in the country’s equities market. The benchmark index rose by 1.55 percent to close at 201,474.89 points, up from 198,407.30 points recorded in the previous trading session.
Market capitalisation correspondingly climbed to N129.329 trillion, from N127.360 trillion previously, representing a gain of approximately N1.97 trillion for investors. The rally was driven by strong investor demand and widespread gains across key sectors, lifting the market’s month-to-date return to 4.48 percent and year-to-date return to 29.47 percent.
Market sentiment remained positive, with 38 stocks closing higher compared to 30 decliners, indicating broad-based buying interest. BUA Cement led the gainers’ chart with a 10 percent increase to close at N297, followed by Premier Paints which gained 9.79 percent to settle at N21.30. John Holt added 9.52 percent to close at N10.35, while Guinea Insurance and Fortis Global Insurance rose by 9.38 percent and 9.32 percent respectively.
On the losing side, VFD Group declined by 10 percent to finish at N11.25. Royal Exchange fell 9.63 percent to N1.69, while Omatek Ventures dropped 9.62 percent to N2.35. Sovereign Trust Insurance and Regency Alliance also recorded losses.
Trading activity remained robust, with total deals rising to 72,735 as investors exchanged 948.2 million shares valued at N49.17 billion. Financial services stocks dominated transactions by volume, reflecting heightened investor interest in the sector. Sovereign Trust Insurance recorded the highest volume with 72.56 million traded shares, accounting for 7.65 percent of the day’s volume, while Zenith Bank recorded the highest value with N5.96 billion, representing 12.11 percent of total value.
Temi Popoola, Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Group, described the milestone as a sign of growing confidence in Nigeria’s capital market. “Nigeria’s ongoing reforms are strengthening domestic capital formation, and the market is responding positively. Increased participation by local investors, improving corporate fundamentals, and continued market modernisation are reinforcing the role of the capital market as a catalyst for long-term wealth creation and sustainable economic growth,” he said.
Jude Chiemeka, Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Ltd., attributed the milestone to sustained demand and active participation across the market. “Crossing the 200,000-point mark reflects strong investor engagement and consistent demand across key sectors. At the Nigerian Exchange Ltd., we remain focused on deepening market liquidity, enhancing trading infrastructure, and ensuring efficient price discovery to support a resilient and transparent marketplace,” he stated.
The latest milestone highlights sustained momentum in Nigeria’s equities market, which continues to attract growing interest from both domestic and institutional investors. The rally reflects improving corporate earnings, increased local participation following pension fund allocation adjustments, and growing confidence in the direction of economic policy. For the broader economy, a strong capital market supports corporate fundraising, wealth creation, and investment in productive capacity.
