The Nigerian equities market wrapped up the first quarter of 2026 in the green, rising 29.35% with total trading volume exceeding 52 billion shares, reflecting strong investor participation.
Tracked by the All-Share Index, the market surged 45,674.8 points, climbing from an opening of 155,612.9 to close at 201,287.8, comfortably surpassing the 200,000-point milestone for the first time.
This marked the best quarterly performance since Q1 2024, when the market returned 39.8%, and represented a six-quarter winning streak after a red Q3 2024.
A closer look shows all three months in Q1 2026 ended positively, with February posting the strongest performance at 16.60%, making it the standout month for the quarter.
Although March’s 4.39% return was the lowest in the quarter, it demonstrated resilience, considering trading activity declined to just over 15 billion shares compared to over 21 billion in February.
Here are the top 10 stocks that led the performance table in Q1 2026, with Zichis Agro Allied excluded due to its mid-quarter listing and temporary trading suspension.
Fortis Global Insurance claimed the top spot among Q1 2026 gainers, soaring 515% with over 1 billion units traded, closing the quarter at N1.23.
The stock started the year around N0.20 with a quiet January, before surging 370% in February to N0.94. In March, it broke past the N1 mark for the first time, settling at N1.23.
The rally followed the company’s return to trading on February 4, 2026, after a six-year suspension by the NGX. The ban, which began on July 2, 2019, had frozen the stock due to unfiled financial statements.
Investor enthusiasm drove the price sharply in the days following its reactivation, marking one of the most remarkable comebacks on the exchange.
Company shares are currently priced at N1.23 in April, with a flat month-to-date performance.
