NGX Premium Stocks Hit N54.3 Trillion Valuation as MTN, Dangote Cement and Seplat Lead Market Rally

Nigeria’s stock market is witnessing a powerful surge as the combined valuation of Premium Board stocks on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) has climbed to an all-time high of N54.3 trillion. This milestone reflects growing investor confidence and positions the premium segment as a major driver of market growth, accounting for 38.8% of the total equities market capitalization of N140.5 trillion.

The rally has been largely powered by heavyweight stocks such as MTN Nigeria, Dangote Cement, Seplat Energy, Zenith Bank, and Lafarge Africa, all of which have recorded strong price gains year-to-date. The Premium Board also includes First Holdco, Access Holdings, United Bank for Africa (UBA), and others that continue to attract significant institutional interest due to their liquidity and strong fundamentals.

Among the standout performers, MTN Nigeria leads in market value at N17.226 trillion, following a 60.57% year-to-date increase. Investor enthusiasm has been boosted by strategic moves such as its IHS Towers acquisition plan, which is expected to reduce infrastructure costs. Meanwhile, Dangote Cement has risen nearly 40%, reaching N14.34 trillion, supported by strong demand in the construction sector and consistent investor confidence.

In the energy and banking space, Seplat Energy surged almost 80% year-to-date, pushing its valuation to N6.26 trillion, while Zenith Bank crossed the N5 trillion mark after more than doubling in value this year. Other major players like Lafarge Africa, Access Holdings, UBA, and First Holdco have also posted strong gains, reflecting a broad-based rally across key sectors of the economy.

Market analysts attribute this bullish momentum to improving investor sentiment ahead of Nigeria’s expected return to Frontier Market status, which is likely to attract foreign passive fund inflows. Experts from Lagos-based research firms note that liquidity is concentrating in large-cap stocks, improving price discovery and tightening spreads, although some caution that short-term profit-taking could slow the pace of gains after the recent strong run.

source: Business day