Nigerian Stock Market Kicks Off 2026 With ₦561 Billion Surge
By FIDELUS ZWANSON
THE Nigerian stock market opened the year on a strong bullish note on Friday, delivering a ₦561 billion gain as sustained investor demand for high-profile equities drove market indices upward on the first trading day of 2026. The rally pushed the market capitalisation from ₦99.376 trillion to ₦99.937 trillion, representing a 0.57% increase in total equity value.
Market Movers Fuel Early Rally
Buying interest in FTN Cocoa Processors, ABC Transport, Mutual Benefits Assurance, Deap Capital Management, Aluminium Extrusion Industries and 48 other advancing equities provided the backbone for the session’s positive performance. Market breadth closed firmly positive with 53 gainers versus 10 losers, signalling widespread sentiment in favour of accumulation rather than profit-taking.
Top Gainers vs Major Slips
FTN Cocoa Processors, ABC Transport, Mutual Benefits Assurance, and Deap Capital Management topped the gainers’ table with 10% price appreciation each, closing at ₦5.50, ₦4.51, ₦3.41, and ₦2.09 per share, respectively. Aluminium Extrusion Industries followed closely, climbing 9.93% to ₦23.80. On the downside, Abbey Mortgage Bank shed 6.25% to ₦6, while FCMB declined 4.56% to ₦11.50. Energy giant Seplat Energy dropped 3.43%, ending at ₦5,610, while Guinea Insurance and Universal Insurance recorded mild losses of 2.26% and 1.65%, respectively.
Activity Surges, But Value and Volume Dip
Trading activity spiked in deal count to 40,245 transactions, but total volume and trade value softened compared to the last session of the previous year. Investors traded 439.9 million shares worth ₦24.9 billion, lower in value than Wednesday’s ₦35.13 billion, but across more deals due to increased participation and smaller-ticket trades. Chams dominated volumes with 120.3 million shares worth ₦455.09 million, while Aradel Holdings led by value at ₦10.74 billion.
