The NGX Premium Index has delivered an impressive 53.86% year-to-date return as of the week ended October 17, 2025, driven by strong gains across the large-cap stocks that constitute the index.
In comparison, the broader All-Share Index is up 44.74%, while the NGX 30 has risen 42.69%, indicating that the Premium Index has outperformed other major benchmarks so far this year.
The NGX Premium Index tracks companies on the Nigerian Exchange that meet high standards of corporate governance, transparency, and market liquidity.
To qualify, a company must have free float shares valued at N40 billion or more, meet a minimum capital requirement of N200 billion, and score at least 70% on the NGX Corporate Governance Rating System, among other criteria.
These requirements are aimed at ensuring that listed companies have adequate market depth and strong governance structures that promote investor confidence.
Since 2020, the Premium Index has closed each year in positive territory. With a 53.86% gain so far in 2025, it remains on course for another positive year, though still below its 2020 record performance of 64.01%.
This report reviews the individual stocks that make up the Premium Board and their year-to-date performance in 2025
Here they are.
First HoldCo Plc ranks sixth with an 11.94% gain so far in 2025. The stock opened the year at N28.05 and closed January at N29.95 after over 520 million shares changed hands.
Performance in the first quarter was largely flat at 0.36%, followed by a dip to N24.85 in April.
Stability returned in May, and by June, the price edged up to N26. A strong 24% rally in July pushed it above N30, ending the month at N32.25.
August saw a mild 0.78% increase, but subsequent declines through September and mid-October pulled it back to N31.40 as of October 17, 2025.
In its Q2 2025 results, the group reported a pre-tax profit of N169.6 billion, down 4.58% year-on-year, bringing its half-year total to N356.1 billion.
- Interest income remained the main driver, rising 61.92% to N812.1 billion in Q2 and reaching N1.4 trillion for the first half of the year.
