February 20, (THEWILL) — The Nigerian equities market sustained its upward momentum on Friday, closing the week on a positive note as buying interest across key sectors supported price appreciation and strengthened investor sentiment.
The session opened with Market Capitalisation at ₦123.934 trillion and closed higher at ₦125.164 trillion. The All-Share Index (ASI) advanced by 0.99 percent, rising from 193,073.57 at the start of trading to 194,989.77 by the end of the session.
Market breadth remained firmly positive, with 53 gainers significantly outpacing 23 losers, reflecting strong participation and broad-based demand across equities.
Top Gainers for the Session
FIDSON 10.00 percent (advancing from ₦79.00 to ₦86.90).
NPFMCRFBK 10.00 percent (₦5.70 to ₦6.27).
JAIZBANK moved higher by 10.00 percent (₦10.00 to ₦11.00).
DEAPCAP 9.96 percent (opened at ₦6.93 and closed at ₦7.62).
CUSTODIAN climbed up 9.94 percent (grew from ₦63.90 to ₦70.25).
Top Losers for the Session
NSLTECH -10.00 percent (₦1.80 to ₦1.62).
SOVRENINS -9.73 percent (fell from ₦2.57 to ₦2.32).
ELLAHLAKES declined -7.91 percent (going down from ₦13.90 to ₦12.80).
INTENEGINS -5.56 percent (from ₦3.60 to ₦3.40).
ABCTRANS dipped -5.26 percent (₦9.50 to ₦9.00).
Stocks that closed flat include MTN Nigeria Communications, Dangote Cement, Seplat Energy, Golden Guinea Brewery, and Guinness Nigeria Plc.
Friday’s performance was largely driven by sustained buying in Banking, Insurance, and Consumer-linked stocks, reinforcing the bullish tone observed throughout the week. The strong market breadth alongside continued liquidity inflows suggests that investor confidence remains resilient, although mild profit-taking could emerge in the near term following the recent rally.
Overall, the market closed with solid gains, positioning equities on a constructive footing heading into the new trading week.
Ogochukwu Onwaeze is a writer specializing in business and economic journalism. At THEWILL News Media, she translates market trends, financial developments, and policy shifts into clear and engaging stories.
