NGX records N32.73 billion in major deals as First HoldCo, Seplat dominate trading

Investors on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) executed major deals worth approximately N32.73 billion on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, spanning 19 separate block trades across seven listed companies.

Tuesday’s cumulative value of the block trades was three times higher than the N7.23 billion in cross deals recorded in the previous week, July 7, precisely.

The heavy block trades were concentrated in the banking, telecommunications, oil & gas, and consumer goods sectors, with First HoldCo and Seplat Energy jointly accounting for nearly 84% of the day’s total major deals value.

First HoldCo dominated the volume charts, with 285.5 million units changing hands across three separate crosses at prices ranging from N68.00 to N72.10 per share, for a combined value of approximately N19.43 billion — nearly 60% of the day’s total major deals value.

What the data is saying:

Tuesday’s major deals activity helped in lifting the market out from two consecutive days of bear grip, closing with robust gains. The deals showed sustained institutional interest across a broader spread of large-cap names than the prior week’s session.

• All-Share Index: 242,870.44 points, up 0.46% from 241,749.11 points
• Market Capitalisation: N155.85 trillion, up approximately N719 billion
• Total Volume Traded: 634.78 million shares, up 21.25%
• Total Value Traded: N53.34 billion, up 139.44%
• Total Deals: 42,494 transactions, down 29.11%
• Year-to-Date Return: 56.07%
• Market Breadth: Positive with 24 gainers against 22 losers
• Highlights of the block trades:
• Total Major Deals Value: approximately N32.73 billion
• Total Major Deals Volume: approximately 302.31 million units
• Number of Counters Involved: 7
• Number of Block Trades: 19

Breakdown of major block trades by counter:

• First HoldCo — 285.5 million units, approximately N19.43 billion, across three crosses (N68.00, N70.00, N72.10 per share)
• Seplat Energy — 720,800 units, approximately N8.00 billion, across seven crosses ranging from N10,240.0 to N11,345.6 per share
• MTNN — 4.25 million units, approximately N3.57 billion, across four crosses (N810.0, N819.0, N820.0, N849.9 per share)
• Stanbic IBTC — 5.3 million units, approximately N848 million, at N160.0 per unit
• GTCO — 4.4 million units, approximately N554.96 million, across two crosses (N126.0 and N126.4 per share)
• Zenith Bank — 2.1 million units, approximately N227.64 million, at N108.4 per unit
• Nestlé Nigeria — 39,000 units, approximately N109.69 million, at N2,812.5 per unit

More insights:

• First HoldCo’s three-cross trade of 285.5 million units standout from any other transactions of Tuesday’s session, more than 36 times the size of any other counter’s volume on the list.
• However, Seplat Energy recorded the highest number of individual crosses (seven), with prices climbing steadily from N10,240.0 to N11,345.6 per share within the session, pointing to sustained appetite at rising price points.
• MTNN’s four crosses also showed an upward price trend intraday, from N810.0 to a peak of N849.9 per share.
• Stanbic IBTC’s single 5.3-million-unit block at N160.0 per share was the second-largest trade by volume after First HoldCo.
• GTCO, Zenith Bank, and Nestlé rounded out the day’s activity with smaller crosses, together contributing under N900 million to total major deals value.

What you should know:

Tuesday’s cross deals extend a pattern of elevated block-trade activity on the NGX, following the N7.23 billion in major deals recorded on July 7.

• Market analysts note that concentrated institutional positioning in bellwether names like First HoldCo and Seplat Energy could continue to influence near-term price direction on the exchange.
• The market snapped a two-session losing streak on Tuesday, rebounding by N719 billion in market capitalisation as renewed buying interest in FirstHoldCo and MTN Nigeria lifted the All-Share Index back above the 242,000-point mark.
• The NGX All-Share Index gained 1,121.33 points, or 0.46%, to close at 242,870.44 points, recovering from Monday’s 0.84% decline.

Market capitalisation rose accordingly to N155.85 trillion from N155.13 trillion, as investors returned selectively to large-cap names following the prior session’s broad-based sell-off.