The Nigerian stock market continued its strong start to 2026, closing on a positive note that saw its overall value rise past the ₦106 trillion mark. Trading on Tuesday showed sustained optimism among investors, extending a series of gains that have lifted market confidence and pushed key indicators higher.
At the end of trading, the Nigerian Exchange Limited All-Share Index finished significantly higher, gaining 2,592.64 basis points, or around 1.59 per cent, to close at 165,837.33. This sharp rise reflected a broad feeling of positivity about prospects for listed companies and Nigeria’s capital market more generally.
Market capitalisation, which measures the total value of all shares listed on the exchange, climbed by about ₦1.661 trillion to reach ₦106.182 trillion by the close of business. This milestone shows that confidence among investors remains robust early in the year.
Investor sentiment was overwhelmingly bullish on the day, with 55 companies recording advances in their share prices compared with just 13 that fell. Among the most notable gainers were DEAP Capital Management & Trust, eTranzact International, PZ Cussons Nigeria, Caverton Offshore Support Group and MTN Nigeria. Each of these stocks rose by the maximum allowable daily increase of 10 per cent, reinforcing the market’s upbeat mood.
Other strong performers included Ellah Lakes and NCR Nigeria, which posted gains of almost 10 per cent and just under 10 per cent respectively. Such robust movements in share prices helped fuel the market’s overall advance.
However, not all stocks followed the upward trend. Universal Insurance led the list of decliners, falling by 6.25 per cent to close at ₦1.20 per share. Prestige Assurance, Regency Alliance Insurance FTN, Academy Press and Royal Exchange also ended the session lower, reflecting some profit-taking in specific segments of the market.
Although the value of traded shares was substantial at ₦33.55 billion, the total number of shares exchanged was slightly lower than the previous session. A total of 1.131 billion units changed hands in 49,216 deals. Sovereign Trust Insurance was the most actively traded stock by volume, with 343.543 million shares exchanging hands, followed by Access Holdings and eTranzact International among others.
Looking ahead, analysts expressed cautious optimism about the market’s prospects. Imperial Asset Managers Limited noted that the strong start to the year and interest in large-cap and fundamentally solid stocks could help sustain positive performance in the near term. At the same time, they pointed out that gains may be concentrated in certain stocks rather than spread evenly across the market, suggesting that investors might shift their focus between sectors as earnings expectations and valuations evolve.
Overall, Tuesday’s results underline a continued positive momentum for the Nigerian Exchange as it begins 2026. While some investors are locking in profits after strong gains, the general trend remains upward, driven by rising confidence and demand for quality stocks.
