The Nigerian stock market maintained its upward momentum on Thursday, June 20, 2025, recording a significant boost in investor sentiment as blue-chip stocks attracted renewed buying interest. The market capitalisation of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) rose by a remarkable ₦677 billion, closing at ₦74.4 trillion, while the benchmark All-Share Index advanced to 117,861.13 points, representing a 0.92% gain.
This latest surge marks a continuation of the bullish trend that has characterised trading in recent sessions, bringing the week-to-date gain to 2.79% and an impressive 14.51% return year-to-date. Analysts attribute the positive performance to improved investor appetite for fundamentally strong equities and renewed optimism around economic reforms.
Blue-chip companies across banking, industrial goods, and consumer sectors led Thursday’s rally. The NGX Top 30 Index, a barometer for top-performing stocks, rose by 0.96%, underscoring the strong demand for large-cap equities.
Among the top performers was Ikeja Hotel Plc, which gained 10% to close at ₦15.40. Beta Glass Plc followed closely with a 9.98% jump to ₦276.00. Legend Internet appreciated by 9.92% to ₦7.20, while University Press Plc rose by 9.85% to ₦6.02 per share. These movements highlight renewed investor confidence in growth-oriented and resilient companies.
Conversely, Guinea Insurance Plc led the laggards with a 9.21% drop to ₦0.69. Other losers included Haldane McCall (-5.88% to ₦4.00), C&I Leasing (-5.84% to ₦4.35), and McNichols (-5.58% to ₦2.20), reflecting selective profit-taking by investors.
The trading session recorded robust activity, with a total of 893.97 million shares valued at ₦22.03 billion exchanged in 17,257 deals. This marked a 40% increase in trading volume compared to the previous day’s session, although the total turnover declined by 15%, and the number of deals dipped by 13%.
Champion Breweries Plc led the volume chart with 332 million shares traded, followed by Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc with 62.7 million shares, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc with 46.6 million shares, and Zenith Bank Plc with 37.6 million shares.
All key sectoral indices closed positive, reflecting a broad-based rally across the market:
Banking Index surged by 2.99% on the back of gains in Tier-1 banks.
Insurance Index appreciated by 1.53%.
Consumer Goods Index climbed by 1.02%.
Premium Index and Pension Index advanced by 1.33% and 1.32%, respectively.
The Consumer Goods Index has recorded a year-to-date gain of 45.83%, reinforcing its position as one of the top-performing segments on the NGX in 2025.
Market watchers suggest that the rally is supported by improving macroeconomic indicators, government-driven investment incentives, and investor expectations around financial sector reforms.
“Despite inflationary pressure and interest rate volatility, investors are increasingly positioning in defensive and high-yield stocks,” said Ifeanyi Okwuosa, a Lagos-based equity analyst. “The demand for blue-chip shares reflects strong confidence in companies with solid fundamentals and consistent dividend histories.”
The Nigerian Exchange has also benefited from recent policy clarity by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and improved liquidity conditions in the banking sector. With continued reforms in the FX market and rising investor participation, analysts project a bullish close to Q2 2025.
With over ₦677 billion added to the NGX market cap in a single day, Thursday’s trading session affirms the stock market’s resilience and attractiveness amid economic headwinds. As investor confidence remains strong, especially in blue-chip and consumer-focused stocks, the outlook for the Nigerian equity market appears increasingly optimistic.