The Nigerian equities market recorded its strongest weekly performance of 2026, closing the week ended April 17 up 6.57% at 217,167.57, driven by heavyweight oil and gas and banking stocks.
- +Best performing Nigerian stocks for the week ended April 17, 2026
This rally marked a 13,397.14-point surge from the opening level of 203,770.43, as the index crossed the 217,000 threshold for the first time in history.
This rally marked a 13,397.14-point surge from the opening level of 203,770.43, as the index crossed the 217,000 threshold for the first time in history.
Year-to-date return climbed to 39.56%, with market capitalization swelling to N139.8 trillion from N131.2 trillion, while trading activity totalled 3.5 billion shares across 254,553 deals.
Market breadth strengthened notably, with 61 stocks in the green, compared to 25 the prior week, while 36 equities declined from 54, and 49 stocks closed unchanged.
According to trading data, the market traded all five sessions of the week, closing each session in positive territory and reflecting sustained bullish sentiment throughout the period.
Across key segments, the NGX Premium Index outperformed the broader market, rising 8.05% as First Holdco surged 22.96%, Access Holdings gained 15.00%, Zenith Bank advanced 12.50%, MTN rose 10.74%, and Seplat climbed 9.42%.
Other notable contributors included Lafarge Africa, up 4.20%, UBA gaining 2.13%, and Dangote Cement rising 1.60%.
The NGX 30 Index and NGX Main Board Index also posted gains of 6.99% and 5.75%, respectively.
The NGX Oil and Gas Index led sectoral performance with a 17.59% surge, driven by strong gains in Aradel, up 28.93%, Japaul Gold rising 10.92%, Seplat advancing 9.42%, and Oando gaining 3.66%.
The NGX Banking Index followed with an 11.85% increase, supported by Ecobank’s 46.30% rally, Stanbic IBTC up 36.63%, First Holdco gaining 22.96%, Access Holdings rising 15.00%, and Zenith Bank advancing 12.50%.
The NGX Consumer Goods Index rose 3.39%, while the Industrial Goods Index gained 1.26%, whereas the Insurance Index bucked the trend, declining slightly by 0.04%.
The week saw notable corporate disclosures across sectors, reflecting strategic moves and investor-focused updates in the market.
Large-cap stocks played a key role in the rally, helping drive the All-Share Index to its strongest weekly performance of the year so far.
The 217,167.57 index point level marks the highest point ever attained by the Nigerian equities market, underscoring the scale of the recent bullish momentum.
A continued rally in large-cap stocks on the Nigerian Exchange could push the broader index toward the 220,000-mark in the near term.
