The Nigerian stock market kicked off the new year on a positive note, closing its first trading week of 2026 firmly in the green. Investor optimism, particularly in the Financial Services and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sectors, drove significant gains across the board.
Market Activity and Sector Performance
Following a public holiday on Thursday, January 1, 2026, the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) operated for four trading days this week. Trading activity surged dramatically compared to the previous week. A total of 7.821 billion shares valued at N134.471 billion exchanged hands in 150,799 deals. This represents a substantial increase from the 2.876 billion shares worth N63.832 billion traded in 80,229 deals the week before.
The Financial Services Industry dominated the trading floor, accounting for the lion's share of activity. This sector saw 5.992 billion shares worth N67.024 billion traded in 55,598 deals. This contributed 76.61% of the total equity turnover volume and 49.84% of the total value for the week.
The ICT sector emerged as a strong runner-up, with 946.959 million shares valued at N8.028 billion traded in 15,443 deals. The Consumer Goods Industry recorded a turnover of 258.820 million shares worth N9.381 billion in 24,133 deals.
Key Market Indices and Top Performers
The market's positive momentum was reflected in its key indicators. The NGX All-Share Index (ASI) appreciated by 1.92% to close the week at 156,492.36 points. Similarly, the total market capitalization of listed equities grew by 2.09%, reaching N99.938 trillion.
Market breadth was strongly positive, indicating widespread buying interest. A total of 73 equities appreciated in price, which is significantly higher than the 44 gainers recorded the previous week. In contrast, only 23 stocks declined in value, lower than the 30 decliners of the prior week. The number of unchanged equities stood at 51.
The trio of Cornerstone Insurance Plc, Chams Holding Company Plc, and Access Holdings Plc led trading by volume. Together, they accounted for 5.317 billion shares worth N37.361 billion traded in 10,441 deals. This represented 67.97% of the total trading volume and 27.78% of the total value for the week.
Notable Price Movements
The list of top gainers was led by Austin Laz & Company Plc, which saw its share price soar by 45.94%. It was closely followed by Aluminium Extrusion Industries Plc (45.57%) and Eunisell Interlinked Plc (43.26%). Other significant advancers included Associated Bus Company Plc, Honeywell Flour Mill Plc, and Fidson Healthcare Plc.
On the decliners' table, E Tranzact International Plc led the pack with a 9.92% drop in share price. First Holdco Plc, LivingTrust Mortgage Bank Plc, CAP Plc, and Champion Breweries Plc also recorded notable losses during the week.
The robust performance in the first week of January 2026 sets a bullish tone for the Nigerian capital market, with investor confidence appearing strong, especially in the financial and technology-driven sectors.
