The Nigerian equities market has climbed to a remarkable 60.49% year-to-date return as of 26 May 2026, with the All-Share Index recording a market capitalization of N160.09 trillion.
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Backed by trading volume of over 87 billion shares, the market has already outperformed the entire first-half return of 16.57% recorded in H1 2025, despite June still being underway.
The rally highlights growing investor confidence, reflected not only in rising prices but also in stronger market activity, as the Exchange edges closer to the 64.51% half-year performance achieved in 2020.
Sector performance has been led by NGX Industrial Goods at 115.84%, NGX Oil and Gas at 114.23%, and NGX Banking at 56.64%, supported by Consumer Goods at 23.98% and the Insurance sector at 3.81%.
The broader market rally has largely been driven by heavyweight large-cap stocks, whose strong price appreciation and liquidity have continued to lift the Nigerian Exchange to record levels.
Meanwhile, the Exchange’s top 10 best-performing stocks are dominated by high-flying mid-cap and small-cap companies, reflecting strong investor appetite for growth and momentum-driven counters.
Deap Capital Management & Trust (187%)
Deap Capital Management & Trust Plc ranks 10th among the Nigerian Exchange’s best-performing stocks, delivering a year-to-date return of 187% as of 26 May 2026, with shares priced at N5.45.
The stock opened the year at N1.90 per unit and has traded over 908 million shares, with January driving momentum as it surged 394% in the month to a peak of N9.40.
The sharp rally followed the company’s memorandum of understanding with Banklink Africa Equity Fund II, which committed N1.0 billion to finance minerals and metals projects across Africa through Deap Capital.
Despite the January surge, sustained declines between February and April dragged the stock to N4.19, although renewed buying interest in May lifted the price back above N5.00.
Chemical & Allied Products (188%)
Chemical & Allied Products Plc occupies the ninth position among the Nigerian Exchange’s top-performing stocks, returning 188% year-to-date, with shares priced at N199.00.
The stock began the year at N69.00 per share and has recorded trading volume exceeding 80 million shares, while sustaining steady monthly gains through 2026 so far, including an ongoing rally in May.
Investor appetite has likely been supported by strong earnings growth, as pretax profit climbed 51% year-on-year to N9.1 billion in FY2025, while Q1 2026 profit rose 40% year-on-year to N2.3 billion.
The momentum also coincided with the company’s March declaration of a N4.00 final dividend per share, significantly higher than the N2.40 distributed for the 2024 financial year.
Berger Paints (208%)
Berger Paints Plc ranks eighth among the Nigerian Exchange’s strongest-performing equities, delivering a year-to-date return of 208%, with shares priced at N147.60.
Opening the year at N48.00 per share, the stock has traded more than 48 million shares and is currently recording its strongest year-to-date performance on the market.
Market momentum has likely reflected improving earnings, after the company reported a 116.43% year-on-year increase in FY2025 pretax profit to N2.4 billion, alongside Q1 2026 profit growth of 48% to N693.1 million.
The rally also followed the declaration of a N1.25 final dividend for every 50 kobo share for the 2025 financial year, above the N1.00 final payout declared for 2024.
Union Dicon Salt(244%)
Union Dicon Salt Plc holds the seventh position among the Nigerian Exchange’s top-performing stocks, posting a year-to-date gain of 244% as shares traded at N23.75 on 26 May 2026.
The stock opened the year at N6.90 per unit and has recorded trading volume exceeding 53 million shares, with February (89.71%) standing out as its strongest month so far.
Investor sentiment likely strengthened after the company’s audited FY2025 results, filed in late March 2026, showed revenue of N11.8 billion versus zero sales in 2024, alongside a pretax profit of N131.1 million.
The recovery has continued into Q1 2026, with revenue accelerating further to N8.5 billion, driven primarily by salt sales operations across the business.
Premier Paints(275%)
Premier Paints Plc occupies sixth position among the Nigerian Exchange’s best-performing equities, recording a year-to-date return of 275% as shares traded at N37.50 on 26 May 2026.
The stock opened the year at N10.00 per unit and has traded more than 18 million shares, with March delivering its sharpest rally after a month-to-date surge of 240.91%.
In December 2025, the company announced that majority shareholders Clover Global Resources Limited and TGHL Capital Limited sold their combined stakes (51%) to Xenergi Limited.
The momentum strengthened further after the Nigerian Exchange lifted the suspension placed on Premier Paints shares in July 2022, restoring trading activity in January 2026.
John Holt(284%)
John Holt Plc ranks fifth among the Nigerian Exchange’s top-performing stocks, delivering a year-to-date return of 284%, with shares priced at N18.80.
The stock started the year at N4.90 per share and has recorded trading activity exceeding 78 million shares, while April marked its only monthly decline after a 19.24% pullback.
Momentum likely improved after the company released its Q2 results for the period ended March 2026, posting a pretax profit of N63 million compared with a N162 million loss recorded a year earlier.
Revenue climbed 126% year-on-year to N1.2 billion, with technical products and leasing services contributing 79.5% of sales, helping the stock rebound from N14.50 in April to N18.80 in May.
R T Briscoe(289%)
R T Briscoe Plc holds fourth position, posting a year-to-date gain of 289% as shares traded at N13.60 on 26 May 2026.
The stock opened the year at N3.50 per share and has recorded trading volume exceeding 298 million shares, recently advancing beyond the N12.50 resistance level to trade above N13.00 in May.
Strong financial performance has likely fueled investor demand, after FY2025 revenue climbed to N40.4 billion from N28.6 billion, driven mainly by higher vehicle and spare parts sales across operations.
Pretax profit rose to N2.9 billion from N1.02 billion in FY2025, while Q1 2026 revenue reached N15.3 billion and pretax profit surged 214.4% year-on-year to N750.5 million.
Red Star Express(291%)
Red Star Express Plc stands as the third-best performing stock on the Nigerian Exchange, delivering a year-to-date gain of 291% as of 26 May 2026, with shares priced at N34.00.
The logistics company opened the year at N8.70 per unit and has recorded over 85 million shares in trading volume, with January’s 139.08% rally and February’s 53.61% advance accounting for most of its early-year strength.
In early May 2026, the company reported revenue of N23.5 billion for the period spanning April 2025 to March 2026, compared with N21.6 billion in the corresponding prior-year period.
Pretax profit rose to N1.2 billion from N924.7 million, and following the earnings release, the stock pushed beyond its February peak of N31.95 to close at N34.00.
SCOA NigeriaPlc (365%)
SCOA Nigeria Plc takes the second spot among the Nigerian Exchange’s top performers, posting a year-to-date return of 365% at N33.05 per unit.
The stock opened the year at N7.10 per unit and has recorded trading volume above 21 million shares, with January alone accounting for the bulk of the rally at 345.07%.
FY2025 performance likely strengthened sentiment, as pretax profit rose to N804.7 million from N374.3 million, supported by revenue of N8.3 billion, with equipment sales contributing 84% and auto sales making up the remainder.
In Q1 2026, the company returned to profitability with a pretax profit of N27.77 million versus a loss of N304.1 million in Q1 2025, on revenue of N738.4 million.
Fortis Global Insurance(400%)
Fortis Global Insurance Plc leads the Nigerian Exchange’s top-performing stocks, delivering a year-to-date gain of 400% as of 26 May 2026, with shares priced at N1.00.
The stock opened the year at N0.20 per unit and has recorded trading volume of 1.8 billion shares, with February accounting for the bulk of the rally as it surged 370% following the lifting of a six-year trading suspension by the Nigerian Exchange.
For the quarter ended 31 December 2025, its latest financial statements showed gross premiums of N461.02 million, up from N413.6 million in the prior period.
On the cash flow statement, claims payments rose significantly to N384.3 million compared with zero disbursements in the corresponding period of 2024.
