Nigeria’s capital market witnessed a significant surge in investor participation as over 500,000 new investors acquired bank shares during the ongoing recapitalisation exercise, the Securities and Exchange Commission has revealed.

In a policy update, the Commission disclosed that the exercise generated an estimated N29.83 trillion in wealth within the equities market in the first quarter of 2026 alone, underscoring its far-reaching impact on market expansion.

According to the SEC, total market capitalisation rose sharply from N99.38 trillion at the end of 2025 to N129.21 trillion as of March 31, 2026.

The Nigerian Exchange also recorded a strong rally, with its All Share Index climbing from 155,613 points to an all-time high of 201,287.78 points within the same period, representing a 29.35 per cent increase.

The Commission attributed the bullish trend to improved investor confidence as the recapitalisation deadline approached, alongside expectations of a more resilient and better-capitalised banking sector.

It highlighted February 2026 as a record-breaking month, during which market capitalisation increased by N17.6 trillion—the highest monthly gain ever recorded in Nigeria’s equities market.

Despite heavy equity offerings from banks, the SEC noted that the market maintained stability, supported by effective price discovery mechanisms and improved investor sophistication.

While the NGX Banking Index initially dipped in mid-2024 due to concerns over share dilution, the sector rebounded following successful capital injections and stronger bank balance sheets.

Beyond market performance, the Commission emphasized the broader structural impact of the recapitalisation exercise, noting that many of the new investors are first-time participants in the equities market.

It expressed optimism that a significant portion of these investors would remain active in secondary trading and future capital raises, thereby deepening liquidity and broadening market participation.

The SEC also noted that the exercise strengthened capacity across financial institutions, including investment banks, stockbrokers, registrars, and custodians, all of which handled unprecedented transaction volumes.

In addition, the Commission disclosed that a total of N4.65 trillion was mobilised through the capital market over the 24-month recapitalisation period, describing it as a testament to the strength of Nigeria’s financial market infrastructure.

Speaking on the development, the Director-General of the SEC, Emomotimi Agama, said the recapitalisation should be viewed as a foundation for long-term economic growth.

He stressed that the gains recorded so far signal the beginning of a more transformative phase, where the capital market plays a central role in financing national development.

The post Over 500,000 New Investors Acquire Bank Shares Amid Recapitalisation — SEC appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

Lafarge Africa Plc has crossed a historic financial threshold, reporting ₦1.1 trillion in revenue for the 2025 financial year, marking a 53 percent increase from ₦696.8 billion recorded in 2024. The cement giant also delivered a sharp rise in profitability, with Profit Before Tax climbing to ₦411 billion and Profit After Tax surging 173 percent to ₦273 billion.

The company’s operating profit more than doubled, rising from ₦193 billion in 2024 to ₦392 billion in 2025, reflecting robust top-line growth and disciplined cost management. Earnings per share also recorded significant growth, increasing from ₦6.22 to ₦17, underscoring improved shareholder returns.

Management attributed the performance to strong volume growth, enhanced plant stability, distribution efficiency improvements, retail expansion, and rigorous financial discipline. The results highlight the impact of Lafarge Africa’s four-point strategy focused on operational excellence, cost optimisation, innovation, and value creation.

Chief Executive Officer, Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, described the 2025 financial year as a landmark period for the company. According to him, surpassing the ₦1 trillion net sales mark represents a historic milestone that signals a new growth phase for the cement producer.

He noted that the 103 percent increase in operating profit demonstrates the effectiveness of plant reliability improvements and execution discipline across the company’s operations. The 173 percent growth in Profit After Tax, he added, was driven by sustained efficiency gains and strategic capital allocation.

Looking ahead, the CEO expressed optimism about 2026, particularly with anticipated collaboration and industrial support from Huaxin. He emphasised that the company remains committed to maintaining a prudent and agile capital management framework while positioning itself to capture emerging market opportunities.

Expansion projects are central to Lafarge Africa’s growth outlook. The company recently announced plans to expand its Ashaka cement plant in Gombe State and its Sagamu plant in Ogun State. Upon completion, the Ashaka plant will reach a production capacity of 2 million metric tonnes per annum (2MTpa), while the Sagamu facility will scale up to 3.5MTpa. These upgrades will increase Lafarge Africa’s total installed production capacity to 14 million metric tonnes per annum (14MMTpa).

The expansion aligns with the company’s strategy to improve capacity utilisation, meet rising domestic cement demand, and strengthen its competitive position in Nigeria’s construction and infrastructure market.

Industry analysts note that Nigeria’s cement sector has continued to demonstrate resilience despite macroeconomic headwinds, including inflationary pressures and currency volatility. Lafarge Africa’s strong earnings performance suggests effective cost pass-through mechanisms, operational scale advantages, and a stable demand environment driven by infrastructure and housing projects.

Sustainability remains a core pillar of the company’s long-term growth model. Management reiterated its commitment to embedding environmental, social, and governance principles across operations, while prioritising industry-leading health and safety standards.

Alade-Akinyemi thanked employees, customers, investors, and other stakeholders for their continued support, stating that their partnership reinforces the company’s objective of delivering consistent and resilient value creation.

With stronger earnings, expanded capacity, and disciplined capital deployment, Lafarge Africa appears well-positioned to consolidate its leadership in Nigeria’s cement market while pursuing sustainable growth in 2026.

The post Lafarge Africa Surpasses ₦1.1tn Revenue as Profit Jumps 170% in 2025 appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

Eight years later, the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) has lifted the suspension placed on the shares of Aso Savings and Loans Plc, ending almost a decade of inactivity by the company.

The resumption of trading was effective October 21, 2025, after eight years of inactivity.

At the close of trading on Thursday, October 23, 2025, the stock price rose by 9.9% to close at N0.60 kobo per share, up from N0.55 kobo.

A total of 11, 300,155 units were exchanged in 17 trades valued at N6.78 million. Thus, the stock price rose by 10 kobo in two trading sessions between Wednesday, October 22 and Thursday, October 23.

It would be recalled that the mortgage institution’s shares had been frozen at N0.50 since July 5, 2017, following its failure to meet statutory filing obligations under the NGX’s Default Filing Rules.

In a formal notice signed by the Head of Issuer Regulation Department, the Exchange announced that Aso Savings had successfully submitted all outstanding financial statements, thereby satisfying the conditions for lifting the suspension.

“Trading License Holders and the investing public are hereby notified that the suspension placed on trading in the shares of Aso Savings and Loans Plc has been lifted,” the statement read.

The post NGX Lifts Eight-Year Suspension on Aso Savings and Loans Shares appeared first on Housing TV Africa.

By the close of trading on Monday, the All-Share Index (ASI) had slipped by 33.72 points, translating to a marginal 0.03 percent loss and closing at 104,529.62 points. In tandem with the ASI, the market capitalization fell from the previous level to ₦65.685 trillion, reflecting waning investor confidence in the short term.

Market analysts at United Capital Plc have pointed to ongoing macroeconomic conditions as a driver of the prevailing bearish sentiment. According to the firm, the elevated interest rate environment in the fixed-income market continues to divert investor attention away from equities. Moreover, the looming Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting scheduled for May is prompting a cautious stance from investors. As a result, many participants are adopting a wait-and-see approach, while some retail investors are opting to lock in recent gains through profit-taking, leading to increased selloffs.

Despite the negative headline numbers, market breadth – a measure of investor sentiment – closed on a positive note. Twenty-eight stocks recorded gains, compared to 24 that declined. This indicates that while the overall market closed lower, there was still strong interest in select equities.

Abbey Mortgage Bank led the gainers’ chart with a 9.95 percent increase, closing at ₦6.74 per share. It was closely followed by UPDC, which rose by 9.82 percent to ₦3.13, and Guinea Insurance, which gained 9.52 percent to settle at 69 kobo per share. Other notable gainers included VFD Group, which appreciated by 9.46 percent to close at ₦96.00, and Sovereign Trust Insurance, which added 9.41 percent to end the day at 93 kobo.

On the other end of the spectrum, International Energy Insurance topped the list of laggards with a 9.76 percent decline, closing at ₦1.48 per share. Consolidated Hallmark Holdings fell by 8.33 percent to ₦2.75, while Japaul Gold & Ventures lost 7.46 percent to settle at ₦1.86. Chams Holding Company and NEIMETH International Pharmaceuticals also posted losses of 6.98 percent and 6.94 percent, respectively.

Trading activity saw a noticeable uptick, with total volume rising by 12.69 percent. Investors exchanged 428.16 million shares valued at ₦10.52 billion across 14,583 deals. Access Holdings led the volume chart with 55.99 million shares worth ₦1.15 billion traded. It was followed closely by Zenith Bank, which recorded 55.43 million shares valued at ₦2.76 billion. Fidelity Bank, UBA, and Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) also featured prominently on the most active list.

As the market continues to navigate economic headwinds and anticipate policy direction from the MPC, investor caution is likely to persist. However, pockets of optimism remain, especially for fundamentally strong stocks with attractive valuations and growth prospects.

The post Nigerian Stock Market Starts the Week Bearish, Records ₦22 Billion Loss appeared first on Housing TV Africa.