By Boluwatife Oshadiya | March 6, 2026
Key Points
- Nigerian stock market adds ₦221 billion in value as benchmark index rises 0.18 percent
- All-Share Index closes at 196,807.15 points, pushing year-to-date return to 26.47 percent
- Banking stocks lead gains while insurance sector records the steepest losses
Main Story
Equity investors on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) gained roughly ₦221 billion in market value as trading rebounded after the previous session’s sell-off in mid- and large-capitalisation stocks.
Market data showed the NGX All-Share Index advanced by 0.18 percent to close at 196,807.15 points. The latest performance lifted the market’s year-to-date return to 26.47 percent.
Total market capitalisation also rose by 0.18 percent, increasing by ₦220.75 billion to reach ₦126.3 trillion at the close of trading.
Despite the market’s overall gain, breadth remained negative, with declining stocks outnumbering gainers. A total of 38 stocks recorded losses compared with 33 gainers during the session.
Top-performing equities included Eterna, NPFMCRFBK, PREMPAINTS, Custodian, and FTGINSURE. On the losing side, Tripple Gee, Multiverse Mining, Sovereign Insurance, Jaiz Bank, and Dangote Sugar Refinery posted the largest declines.
Sectoral performance was mixed. Banking stocks recorded the strongest gains, advancing 0.51 percent, followed by consumer goods stocks which rose 0.10 percent. Industrial stocks also edged up by 0.03 percent.
However, the insurance and oil and gas sectors declined by 1.63 percent and 0.16 percent respectively, while the commodity sector closed unchanged.
Trading activity slowed across major indicators during the session. Share volume dropped by 21.27 percent to 634.01 million units, while the number of deals fell by 7.05 percent to 66,286 transactions. Transaction value also declined by 24.24 percent to ₦29.11 billion.
What’s Being Said
Market analysts note that intermittent profit-taking has become common after the strong rally that pushed Nigerian equities to one of the best year-to-date performances among emerging markets.
“The market continues to show resilience despite short-term profit taking, as investors remain attracted by strong earnings outlooks and relatively high dividend yields in several sectors,” a Lagos-based investment analyst said.
What’s Next
- Investors are expected to closely watch corporate earnings releases and dividend announcements expected over the coming weeks.
- Market participants will also monitor macroeconomic indicators, including inflation data and monetary policy signals from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
%20gained%20roughly%20%E2%82%A6221%20billion%20in%20market%20value%20as%20trading%20rebounded%20after%20the%20previous...){kind=link}