LunagisthubNigerian Stock Market Soars Again: Investors Pocket ₦1.66 Trillion as Market Cap Hits ₦136 Trillion
The Nigerian equities market is on fire. On Thursday, April 16, 2026, the bullish run continued with investors smiling to the bank after a massive ₦1.663 trillion gain in a single session. Market capitalization officially crossed the ₦136 trillion milestone.
Rose 1.23% to ₦136.435 trillion, up from ₦134.772 trillion at open
All-Share Index (ASI). Jumped 2,583.61 points, or 1.23%, to close at 211,901.02 vs. 209,317.41 previous day
Year-To-Date Return. Strengthened to 36.17%, keeping NGX among top-performing exchanges globally
45 gainers vs. 20 losers — sentiment remains firmly positive
This marks the fourth straight day of gains, following Wednesday’s strong ₦2.28 trillion rally.
Investors piled into these stocks as they led the charge:
| Stock | Daily Gain | Closing Price |
| Trans-Nationwide Express | +10% | ₦5.50 |
| Guinea Insurance | +10% | ₦1.21 |
| Aradel | +9.99% | ₦1,547.50 |
| Ecobank Transnational | +9.97% | ₦61.20 |
| Daar Communications | +9.93% | ₦1.66 |
Top Losers on the Day
Not every stock was green. These counters saw profit-taking:
| Stock | Daily Loss | Closing Price |
| Ikeja Hotel | -9.73% | ₦33.40 |
| WAPIC | -8.77% | ₦2.60 |
| CAP | -8.61% | ₦95.00 |
| International Energy Insurance | -8.18% | – |
| McNichols | -5.82% | – |
Trading Activity Cools Despite Gains
Volume and value dipped even as prices rose. Total volume fell 17.19% to 584.96 million shares worth ₦34.76 billion across 45,559 deals.
Most traded stock
Zenith Bank dominated the session with 61.74 million shares valued at ₦7.60 billion. That’s 10.55% of total volume and 21.86% of total value traded.
1. Bullish momentum is intact:Four straight sessions of gains + YTD return above 36% shows strong investor confidence.
2. Banking stocks remain key: Zenith Bank’s activity proves investors are still betting big on tier-1 lenders.
3. Selective profit-taking: While breadth is positive, declines in names like Ikeja Hotel and CAP show traders are rotating profits.
With market cap now above ₦136 trillion, the Nigerian Exchange continues to reward investors who stay positioned in high-quality stocks. If you’re watching from the sidelines, this rally signals that market sentiment on Nigerian equities remains upbeat despite broader global tensions.
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