The Nigerian stock market ended the trading session on a high note on February 19, 2026, with the All-Share Index climbing 2,645.6 points to settle at 193,073.6, crossing the 193,000 threshold for the first time in history. This represents a 1.39% gain from the previous close of 190,427.96, signaling a continuation of strong bullish momentum across equities.
Despite the impressive index surge, overall trading activity softened, with market volume falling sharply to 898 million shares exchanged across 61,953 deals, compared to 3.6 billion shares in the prior session. The market capitalization mirrored the positive price action, rising to N123.9 trillion from N122.2 trillion, driven largely by significant activity in Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), which topped the value chart at N6.1 billion in transactions.
On the gainers’ side, DEAP Capital Management & Trust Plc, Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc, and Fortis Global Insurance Plc each reached the daily maximum price limit of 10%, reflecting strong investor interest. Conversely, Tripple Gee & Company Plc, Multiverse Mining & Exploration Plc, Secure Electronic Technology Plc, and Mcnichols Plc led the decliners, each losing 10% during the session. In trading volume, Japaul Gold dominated with 80.1 million shares, followed closely by Secure Electronic and Mutual Benefits Assurance.
Large-cap stocks, including SWOOTs and FUGAZ-listed companies, contributed to the bullish sentiment. Stanbic IBTC Holdings surged 9.52%, while MTN Nigeria rose 4%. In the FUGAZ banking segment, First HoldCo climbed 6.67%, Access Holdings gained 4%, and UBA rose 2.13%, with GTCO adding 0.91%. The banking sector, in particular, was a key driver of the market’s upward momentum.
With the All-Share Index breaking past 193,000 points, both large- and mid-cap stocks closed positively, suggesting that the market could soon target the 194,000–195,000 range if current momentum holds. Investors continue to watch heavyweight stocks like GTCO and Stanbic IBTC closely, as these companies remain central to sustaining the market rally in Nigeria’s equities landscape.
source: nairametrics