The Nigerian equities market sustained its bullish momentum on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, with the benchmark NGX All-Share Index (ASI) rising above the 246,000-point mark once again since August 11 when it closed at 246,723.57 points, extending gains from the previous session.
The ASI advanced 0.77% to close at 246,082.63 points, up from 244,199.39 points in the previous session, gaining 1,883.24 points during the trading day.
Market capitalisation rose to N158.96 trillion from N157.74 trillion, adding approximately N1.22 trillion to investor wealth, while the market’s year-to-date return strengthened to 58.14%.
The session’s gains were led by a sharp rally in Aradel Holdings and Nestlé Nigeria, whose advances outpaced even the banking heavyweights that also closed broadly positive.
On the downside, Unilever Nigeria stood out as the session’s most notable large-cap decliner, falling 3.51% to N110.00, a particularly significant move given its size within the consumer goods space. Transcorp declined 1.63% to N36.15, and FCMB eased 0.43% to N11.65.
Sectoral performance was broadly positive across the board, with the Oil & Gas Index emerging as the standout performer.
Market breadth remained strongly positive, with 40 gainers comfortably outpacing 19 decliners, reflecting broad-based buying interest across the market for a second consecutive session.
Trading activity was mixed but generally supportive of the rally.
Access Holdings was the most traded stock by volume at 129.89 million units, while MTN Nigeria led by value at N4.69 billion.
Tuesday’s rally extends the market’s positive momentum into September, with the ASI now up 0.77% month-to-date, building on August’s strong finish and continued optimism following the FTSE Russell reclassification confirmation.
Looking ahead, the market is expected to sustain its positive momentum as investor sentiment continues to improve, buoyed by the FTSE Russell reclassification confirmation.
