Nigerian Equities Market Capitalisation Sheds N157 Billion Amid Volatile Five Day Trading Window

Nigeria equities market cap drops to N128.9 trillion as N157bn is lost. Explore the latest NGX trends, All-Share Index data, and top sectoral performers.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 28, 2026, 5:38 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Ripples Nigeria

Bearish Sentiment Dampens Nigerian Equities Market Performance

The Nigerian equities market faced a challenging period as total market capitalisation contracted by N157 billion over the concluding week of March 2026. This downward movement saw the primary valuation metric shift from N129.1 trillion to N128.9 trillion, signaling a cautious approach from participants despite brief windows of recovery. According to reports from the Nigerian Exchange Group, the All-Share Index followed a similar trajectory, shedding 0.12 percent to settle at 200,913.06 points, a decline from the 201,156.86 points recorded during the prior weekly assessment.

Extreme Volatility Defines Daily Trading Sessions

Trading activity throughout the week was marked by dramatic swings between massive losses and temporary recoveries. The window opened on a sharply negative note on Monday, March 23, with investors witnessing a substantial N1.3 trillion wipeout by the closing bell. While a brief resurgence occurred on Tuesday as the market reclaimed N1 trillion in value within a five hour window, subsequent sessions on Wednesday and Friday returned to negative territory. This lack of stability suggests a fragile equilibrium within the domestic investment landscape, where short term gains are frequently erased by broader selloffs.

Financial Services Maintain Dominance Amidst Lower Turnover

Despite the overall decline in value, the financial services sector remained the primary engine of market activity, accounting for over 70 percent of the total equity turnover volume. Investors exchanged 2.881 billion shares within this sector alone, representing a transaction value of N102.259 billion. When compared to the previous week, the total market turnover saw a marked reduction, falling from 8.761 billion shares to 3.950 billion shares. This contraction in volume indicates a potential tightening of liquidity or a strategic pause by major institutional players as they navigate current price fluctuations.