Nigeria’s stock market continued its strong start to the year, with the value of all listed equities on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) climbing above ₦106 trillion, a significant milestone that reflects renewed investor confidence and sustained positive momentum in trading activity.
On Tuesday, 13 January 2026, the NGX closed markedly higher as the market extended gains for the seventh session in a row, underscoring a broad improvement in market sentiment.
At the close of trading, the NGX All-Share Index (ASI) rose by 2,592.64 basis points, or 1.59 per cent, moving to 165,837.33 points, a level that signals robust early-year momentum among market participants.
Market capitalisation, which represents the total value of listed equities surged by about ₦1.661 trillion to ₦106.182 trillion from roughly ₦104.52 trillion recorded on the previous trading day.
The positive market breadth was evident as 55 stocks advanced while just 13 declined, showing that more companies recorded price gains than losses at the session’s end.
Among the strongest performers were a mix of sectors, with notable gainers including:
DEAP Capital Management & Trust
eTranzact International
PZ Cussons Nigeria
Caverton Offshore Support Group
MTN Nigeria
Each of these stocks posted impressive 10 per cent increases in share prices during the session.
Other notable contributors included Ellah Lakes, which gained 9.97 per cent, and NCR Nigeria, climbing 9.95 per cent.
On the flipside, some counters experienced downward movement. Universal Insurance led the laggards, falling 6.25 per cent, while Prestige Assurance dropped 5.81 per cent. Other insurers such as Regency Alliance Insurance FTN, Academy Press, and Royal Exchange also closed the day with weaker prices.
Trading activity during the session remained substantial, although total volume declined marginally by 1.58 per cent. About 1.131 billion units worth ₦33.550 billion exchanged hands across 49,216 deals in the day’s trading.
Some of the most actively traded stocks included Sovereign Trust Insurance, which saw the largest volume of transactions, followed by Access Holdings and eTranzact, each drawing strong investor interest. Other active names included Linkage Assurance and Chams Holdings Company.
Looking ahead, market analysts suggest that conditions may remain cautiously optimistic as investors focus on fundamentally sound stocks. Imperial Asset Managers Limited noted that: “market sentiment is expected to remain cautiously positive in the near term, supported by strong early-year momentum and continued interest in large-cap and fundamentally sound stocks.”
The firm added a word of caution, observing: “However, the concentration of gains in a few heavyweights and value-driven trades, alongside selective profit-taking in weaker names, suggests that upside may increasingly be stock-specific rather than broad-based, with investors likely to rotate between sectors as earnings expectations and valuation considerations come into focus.”
The stock market’s strength feeds into broader economic confidence, potentially boosting investment flows and supporting capital formation, key drivers of economic growth. Rising market cap often signals improved wealth effects, which can increase household spending and business investment, while reinforcing the NGX’s role in mobilising long-term finance for the Nigerian economy.
