Nigerian stock market rally pushes ASI above 218,000 as equities hit N140 trillion milestone

The Nigerian stock market extended its bullish run on April 20, 2026, as the All-Share Index (ASI) climbed 0.44% to close at 218,113.84 points, up from 217,167.57 in the previous session. The performance marks another milestone in the ongoing rally that has defined trading in recent months.

Market capitalization also crossed a historic threshold, rising above N140 trillion for the first time. The figure increased from N139.8 trillion to N140.4 trillion, underscoring sustained investor confidence despite a slight dip in trading volume, which fell to 983 million shares from 1.2 billion in the previous session.

Activity during the trading day showed mixed but largely positive sentiment. While equities maintained a strong year-to-date return of 40.17%, some profit-taking emerged in select counters. Notably, Stanbic IBTC Holdings and LivingTrust Mortgage Bank both declined by 10%, even as the broader market remained upbeat.

On the gainers’ chart, Nigerian Aviation Handling Company and Union Dicon Salt led with maximum gains of 10% each. Fidelity Bank, Trans-Nationwide Express, and Access Holdings also posted strong advances, reflecting broad-based participation across sectors.

Trading activity was dominated by major financial and energy stocks. Access Holdings led in volume with 91.6 million shares, followed by First Holdco and Zenith Bank. In value terms, Zenith Bank topped the chart with N7 billion worth of trades, while Aradel Holdings and MTN Nigeria also recorded strong turnover, highlighting continued institutional interest in blue-chip stocks.

source: nairametrics