The Nigerian Exchange ended the week of March 13, 2026, on a positive note, with the All-Share Index rising 0.73% to close at a record 198,407.30 points.
A 1,439.15-point gain from the previous week’s close of 196,968.15 pushed the index above the 198,000 mark for the first time in its history.
This performance came despite softer trading activity, as total volume settled at 3.3 billion shares across 318,907 deals, compared with 3.6 billion shares recorded in the previous week.
In terms of market breadth, 34 equities gained during the week, lower than the 44 recorded in the previous week.
Meanwhile, 61 equities declined in price, higher than the 58 recorded in the prior week, while 53 equities closed the week unchanged.
What the trading data is saying
Trading data from the Nigerian Exchange shows that the All-Share Index has delivered a year-to-date return of 27.50%, reflecting sustained investor interest in equities this year.
During the week ended March 13, 2026, the market recorded gains in three out of the five trading sessions.
The week opened on a positive note with a 0.12% rise on Monday, but the index slipped into the red on Tuesday and Wednesday, briefly falling below the 196,000 level.
Market sentiment improved afterward, as bullish momentum returned with a 0.52% gain on Thursday, before the index closed the week stronger at 198,407.3 points on Friday.
Across the indices, the Premium Index rose 1.27% largely supported by Zenith Bank’s 3.17% gain, while the NGX 30 Index advanced 0.80% and the Main Board Index climbed 1.99%.
Sectoral Performance
Sectoral performance was led by the NGX Industrial Goods Index, which rose 5.73%, largely driven by a strong 20% rally in BUA Cement shares.
- Other contributors within the index also posted gains, including Chemical and Allied Industries, which advanced 7.32%, while Lafarge Africa added 1.86%.
The NGX Oil and Gas Index followed with a 1.50% gain, supported by Conoil’s 20.95% surge and Aradel Holdings’ 3.05% increase.
The NGX Consumer Goods Index also edged higher, posting a modest gain of 0.63% during the week.
On the losing side, the NGX Insurance Index declined 4.59%, while the NGX Banking Index also slipped 1.04% over the same period.
Top Gainers
The top-performing stocks for the week were:
- Premier Paints Plc: up 32.88% to N19.40
- Conoil Plc: up 20.95% to N204.40
- BUA Cement Plc: up 20.00% to N270.00
- Fidson Healthcare Plc: up 19.04% to N105.35
- Omatek Ventures Plc: up 18.18% to N2.60
- Nigerian Exchange Plc: up 16.93% to N176.50
- Guinness Nigeria Plc: up 11.79% to N385.00
- International Breweries Plc: up 9.93% to N14.95
- May & Baker Nigeria Plc: up 9.21% to N41.50
- Chemical & Allied Industries Plc: up 7.32% to N99.00
Top Losers
The week’s worst-performing stocks included:
- SCOA Nigeria Plc: down 34.06% to N22.65
- Fortis Global Insurance Plc: down 20.81% to N1.18
- Sovereign Trust Insurance Plc: down 20.68% to N2.11
- Aluminium Extrusion Industries Plc: down 18.71% to N12.60
- LivingTrust Mortgage Bank Plc: down 17.38% to N4.85
- Learn Africa Plc: down 15.82% to N8.25
- RT Briscoe Plc: down 13.76% to N10.40
- Linkage Assurance Plc: down 12.85% to N1.56
- Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc: down 11.54% to N4.60
- UACN Plc: down 11.49% to N102.50
Corporate Actions Overview
The week featured a wave of corporate disclosures across the Nigerian Exchange, reflecting ongoing board changes, financial projections, and shareholder updates.
- Geregu Power released its Q2 2026 forecast, projecting a pre-tax profit of N8.1 billion.
- VFD Group also announced plans to refund shareholders N1.83 billion in surplus subscription funds.
- Oando hinted at a potential delay in filing its 2025 audited results, citing ongoing software integration.
- Meanwhile, Jaiz Bank named Omolara Ismail as Executive Director, while Beta Glass appointed four new directors, and Wema Bank added Engr. Wilson Agu to its board.
What you should know
Despite the weekly gain, overall market activity on the exchange declined, with trading volume easing from 3.6 billion shares in the previous week to 3.3 billion shares.
- Heavyweight BUA Cement played a major role in the market’s advance, posting a strong 20% gain during the week.
- The market’s climb to 198,407.3 marks the highest level ever recorded by the All-Share Index.
- Continued bullish momentum in large-cap stocks could potentially push the index beyond the 200,000 mark in the near term.
