The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) concluded the trading week ended February 13, 2026, on a robust bullish note, with the benchmark All-Share Index (ASI) climbing 6.16% to close at a historic 182,313.08 points, surpassing the 180,000 mark for the first time.
This strong weekly performance, which added 10,585.59 points from the previous week’s close of 171,727.49, propelled the total market capitalization upward by a similar margin to N117.027 trillion, reflecting significant investor gains estimated at around N6.79 trillion.
Trading activity intensified markedly, with a total turnover of 4.652 billion shares valued at N193.326 billion exchanged across 286,751 deals—representing a clear uptick from the prior week’s 3.860 billion shares worth N128.581 billion in 240,463 deals.
The Financial Services sector dominated proceedings, commanding 59.81% of total equity volume with 2.782 billion shares traded worth N74.063 billion. The Services Industry ranked second with 573.189 million shares valued at N7.177 billion, while Consumer Goods placed third at 317.667 million shares worth N24.027 billion.
Leading individual stocks by volume included Deap Capital Management & Trust Plc, Access Holdings Plc, and Zenith Bank Plc, which together accounted for 980.253 million shares valued at N30.182 billion—contributing 21.07% to overall equity volume and 15.61% to value.
Market sentiment remained overwhelmingly positive, as evidenced by strong price appreciations among several counters. Zichis Agro Allied Industries Plc led the gainers, soaring 60.71% from N6.72 to N10.80. Union Dicon Salt Plc followed closely with a 60.15% rise from N13.05 to N20.90, while Daar Communications Plc advanced 55.26% from N1.90 to N2.95. Other notable performers included Fortis Global Insurance Plc (+50%) and John Holt Plc (+45.21%), alongside gains in stocks such as Red Star Express, RT Briscoe, and E-Tranzact International.
The rally has been attributed to sustained investor confidence, bolstered by recent regulatory adjustments allowing higher equity allocations from pension funds, injecting fresh liquidity into the market.
Despite the broad-based advances, a handful of stocks experienced declines. Abbey Mortgage Bank Plc led the losers, dropping 26.42% from N14.95 to N11.00. Other decliners featured Sovereign Trust Insurance, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, and Guinness Nigeria Plc, which fell from N349.90 to N315.00.
This week’s performance extends the market’s impressive momentum in early 2026, with month-to-date and year-to-date returns standing at approximately 10.25% and 17.16%, respectively. Analysts anticipate continued strength if supportive policies and positive sentiment persist, though selective profit-taking could introduce short-term volatility. The NGX’s ascent underscores growing optimism in Nigeria’s equities amid evolving economic conditions.
