The Nigerian equities market concluded April 2026 with a significant surge of 20.36%, its most impressive monthly gain of the year, surpassing February's 16.60% increase.
The NGX All-Share Index climbed from 201,287.9 to 242,277.8, crossing the 240,000-point threshold for the first time. Concurrently, the total market capitalization expanded to N155.9 trillion.
This robust growth was underpinned by heightened investor activity, with more than 16 billion shares changing hands, a volume second only to the over 21 billion units traded in February 2026.
The market has now maintained a winning streak for five consecutive months, dating back to December 2025. This sustained rally has pushed year-to-date returns to 55.69%, nearing its strongest half-year performance since the 64.51% recorded in the second half of 2020.
April’s impressive performance was largely propelled by strong upward movements in individual stocks, which significantly boosted their respective sectors and contributed to the overall market expansion.
Sectoral Performance Breakdown
The NGX Oil and Gas sector emerged as the top performer in April 2026, delivering a substantial 39.04% return to investors. Over 591 million shares were traded within this sector during the month.
Driven by the NGX Oil and Gas Index, the sector advanced from 4,385.2 points to 6,097.3, breaching the 6,000-point level. Key stocks like Aradel Holdings, which surged 60.63%, and Seplat Energy, up by 26.32%, were instrumental in this sector's strong showing.
Following closely, the NGX Industrial Goods sector secured the second-best performance with a gain of 28.50%. This sector crossed the 11,000-point mark for the first time, closing at 11,277.2 points, with more than 426 million shares traded.
The growth in the Industrial Goods sector was primarily fueled by major cement companies, including Lafarge Africa (WAPCO) which saw a 59.16% increase, BUA Cement (27.95%), and Dangote Cement (19.75%). Mid-cap industrial stocks also contributed, with Chemical and Allied Products rising 45.49%, Beta Glass gaining 19.96%, and Berger Paints increasing by 7.71%.
The NGX Banking Index ranked third among top performers, advancing by 22.61%. This sector recorded significant trading volume, exceeding 7.7 billion shares, underscoring its strong liquidity and sustained investor interest.
