Nigerian Stock Market Drops Below 250,000 Mark as Profit-Taking Hits Key Sectors
By Aboki Forex —
The Nigerian stock market closed lower on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, reversing the previous session’s gains. Bearish sentiment pushed the All-Share Index below the 250,000 mark, ending the day at 249,062.37 points. That is down 1.02% from 251,635.42 points recorded on Tuesday.
Investors lost about N1.62 trillion in market value during the session. The year-to-date return for the market moderated to 60.05%, reflecting a slowdown in bullish momentum.
Profit-Taking Hits Banking, Consumer Goods, and Industrial Stocks
The decline was driven by profit-taking across banking, consumer goods, industrial, and oil and gas sectors. BUA Cement led the decliners, falling by 10.00%. CAP dropped 9.99%, while International Breweries also featured among the top losers. First HoldCo declined by 4.04%, and UACN shed 3.68%.
Other notable losers included Oando, Ikeja Hotel, NGX Group, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), Nigerian Breweries, and Access Holdings.
Market Breadth Remains Positive Despite Index Drop
Despite the benchmark index closing lower, market breadth was positive. A total of 41 stocks advanced against 25 decliners. Zichis topped the gainers’ chart, rising by 9.99%. ABC Transport and Access Holdings also recorded gains.
Learn Africa traded above its 52-week high of N13.05, reflecting sustained investor interest in select education and mid-cap stocks.
Trading Activity Slows
Market activity softened during the session. Total traded volume declined by 14.74% to 600.22 million shares, valued at N32.72 billion, across 58,958 deals.
Access Holdings recorded the highest trading volume with 55.96 million units, accounting for 9.32% of the day’s total volume. Japaul Gold and Zenith Bank followed on the volume chart, contributing 8.31% and 6.11% respectively.
On the value chart, Zenith Bank led with transactions worth N4.81 billion, representing 14.69% of the day’s traded value. Aradel Holdings and MTN Nigeria also ranked among the top value trades.
First HoldCo Completes Divestment of FBNQuest Merchant Bank
Legit.ng earlier reported that First HoldCo Plc has completed the divestment of its merchant banking subsidiary, FBNQuest Merchant Bank Limited. The company sold its entire stake to EverQuest Group. The parent company of First Bank of Nigeria said the transaction is part of a strategic plan to optimise capital allocation, improve capital efficiency, and support growth in its core commercial banking operations.
EverQuest Acquisition LLP, which emerged as the preferred bidder after a competitive selection process, is a consortium of investment and financial services firms.