Nigerian Exchange Hits Historic Milestone as All-Share Index Surges Past 200,000
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) achieved a historic milestone on Monday, with its benchmark All-Share Index (ASI) closing above the 200,000-point mark for the first time, driven by broad-based gains that added nearly N2 trillion to market value in a single session.
The ASI rose by 1.55 percent to settle at 201,474.89 points, up from 198,407.30 points at the previous close. This rally translated the gain into a N1.97 trillion increase in total market capitalization, which rose to N129.329 trillion from N127.360 trillion, significantly boosting the aggregate value of investor portfolios.
The positive performance was widespread, reflected in the market breadth where 30 stocks declined against 38 that advanced. The strong demand pushed the market’s month-to-date return to 4.48 percent, while the year-to-date return strengthened to 29.47 percent.
BUA Cement led the gainers with a 10 percent price increase to close at N297 per share. It was followed by Premier Paints, John Holt, Guinea Insurance, and Fortis Global Insurance. On the losing side, VFD Group recorded a 10 percent decline to N11.25, alongside Royal Exchange, Omatek Ventures, Sovereign Trust Insurance, and Regency Alliance.
Trading activity was robust, with a total of 72,735 deals executed. A volume of 948.2 million shares, valued at N49.17 billion, changed hands during the session. Financial services stocks dominated activity by volume, underscoring sector-specific investor interest. Sovereign Trust Insurance was the most traded stock by volume, with 72.56 million shares changing hands. Zenith Bank commanded the highest traded value, generating N5.96 billion, which accounted for over 12 percent of the day’s total turnover.
Crossing the 200,000 threshold marks a pivotal moment for Nigeria’s primary equities market, signaling renewed investor confidence and strong liquidity. The sustained upward trajectory, supported by gains across multiple sectors, positions the NGX for continued attention from both domestic and international capital allocators focused on African markets.
