The Nigerian equities market hit record highs on Monday, September 21, 2026, as the All-Share Index rose to 250,156.80 points, pushing year-to-date gains to 60.76% and total market capitalization to a record N162.39 trillion. This rally follows the formal restoration of Nigeria to the FTSE Russell Frontier Market Index, effectively ending a three-year exclusion from global investment benchmarks. Market breadth remained positive with 39 advancers against 25 decliners, while trading activity surged, recording 68,655 deals. Analysts attribute the momentum to both international index reclassification and strong domestic demand, which has successfully absorbed liquidity outflows linked to the ongoing Dangote Refinery initial public offering. Broad sectoral gains were led by the banking, industrial, and consumer goods indices.

The Nigerian equities market closed lower on Monday, July 27, as the All-Share Index declined by 0.05% to 247,238.74 points. This shift erased approximately N76.56 billion in market capitalisation, bringing it to N159.51 trillion. The downturn was primarily driven by profit-taking across insurance, consumer goods, and industrial sectors, while banking stocks bucked the trend to close as the day’s sole sectoral gainer. Despite the decline, market activity intensified, with a 73.6% surge in total value traded to N57.20 billion. Aradel Holdings led value contributions, accounting for 48.2% of the total turnover. Market breadth was negative, with 32 stocks declining against 28 advancers.

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, has stated that the regulator will maintain heightened supervision of the banking sector despite the successful conclusion of the recent recapitalisation exercise.

Speaking at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum, Cardoso noted that while the industry raised between N4 trillion and N5 trillion in fresh capital to build resilience against economic shocks, continuous oversight remains essential. He emphasized that the stronger capital base is intended to support eventual increased lending to the private sector once inflation and interest rates moderate. Cardoso also warned banks against indiscriminate lending, urging them to prioritize sophisticated risk management and proper analysis, especially when navigating complex sectors like oil and gas. The CBN plans to collaborate with financial institutions to enhance their internal risk assessment capabilities.