The Nigerian equities market delivered a strong 29.35% return to investors in Q1 2026, rising in value from N99.38 trillion at the start of the quarter to N129.2 trillion by the end.
Tracked by the All-Share Index (ASI), trading activity remained strong, with over 52 billion shares exchanged, marking the sixth consecutive quarter of growth since Q3 2024.
The market also reached a historic milestone, crossing the 200,000-point threshold for the first time, as the ASI rose by 45,674.8 points from 155,612.9 to 201,287.8.
This rally was largely driven by large-cap stocks, particularly those within the NGX 30 Index, with 23 out of the 30 constituents closing the quarter in positive territory.
Among these gainers, seven large-cap companies delivered returns exceeding 50%, while 16 NGX 30 stocks posted gains above 20%, reflecting strong investor appetite.
While the ASI captures the broader market, the NGX 30 Index focuses on the most liquid and capitalized stocks, whose movements significantly influence overall market direction.
This report highlights the top 10 best-performing NGX 30 stocks in Q1 2026, ranked by their share price appreciation during the first quarter.
Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc ranks 10th among top performers, delivering a 33.10% return in Q1 2026, as its share price rose from N100 to N133.1, with 105 million shares traded.
- The banking stock recorded consistent gains throughout the quarter, opening January with an 8% increase, advancing further in February, and maintaining its upward trend into March.
- By February, the stock reached N122, marking its strongest monthly performance with a 12.96% gain, before closing higher at N133.1 at the end of March.
The rally likely was supported by strong financial results, following the release of its unaudited 2025 full-year report, which showed a pre-tax profit of N552 billion, up 81.6% year-on-year.
This growth was driven mainly by interest income of N787.05 billion, which accounted for 88% of gross earnings.
The stock is now up 47% year-to-date, with a market value of N2.19 trillion.
