The standout feature of trading on the Nigerian Exchange on Thursday, July 9, 2026 was not just the index gain. It was the surge in activity around First HoldCo Plc, whose shares jumped 9.2% to NGN 69.05 on an extraordinary reported volume of 85.53 billion shares. At the same time, the NGX all share index rose 2.53% to 1,849.16, pointing to a sharp return of risk appetite in Nigerian equities.
That headline rally needs nuance. Market breadth was perfectly split at 24 gainers, 24 losers and 7 unchanged out of 55 tracked stocks, which means the advance was highly selective rather than broad-based. For readers looking at NGX today, the message is clear: the benchmark moved strongly, but the real story sat in a handful of heavy-volume names rather than across the full market.
Key figures
- NGX ASI: 1,849.16, up 2.53%
- First HoldCo: +9.2% at NGN 69.05
- First HoldCo volume: 85.53 billion shares
- MTN Nigeria: +3.9% at NGN 810.0
- Geregu Power: -10.0% at NGN 825.7