The Nigerian equities market saw a significant jump in trading activity during July 2026, with total transactions reaching N2.37 trillion. This figure represents a 38.17 percent increase from the N1.71 trillion recorded in June.
First seven months hit record highs
Trading activity across the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) for the first seven months of 2026 has reached N11.98 trillion. This figure is nearly double the N6.01 trillion recorded during the same period in 2025.
The latest Domestic and Foreign Portfolio Investment Report for July 2026 notes that this July performance alone was a 30.45 percent increase over the N1.82 trillion seen in July 2025. The surge in market activity has pushed the value of domestic transactions in the first seven months of this year past the total for all of 2025. Domestic transactions for the year-to-date period stood at N10.68 trillion, which is higher than the N9.27 trillion recorded for the entire year of 2025.
Domestic investors drove the majority of this activity, accounting for 94.4 percent of total transactions in July. This segment saw a 46.39 percent increase from N1.53 trillion in June to N2.24 trillion in July. Domestic transactions also accounted for 89.21 percent of total transactions year-to-date, with a total value of N10.68 trillion.
Who is trading the most
Institutional investors led the growth within the domestic segment, with their transactions rising by 66.18 percent to N1.65 trillion in July from N994.49 billion in June. Retail investors also increased their activity, with transactions rising by 9.42 percent to N582.44 billion from N532.31 billion. Institutional investors accounted for about 74 percent of domestic transactions during the month, while retail investors accounted for the remaining 26 percent.
Related: Three Crowns Milk supports Nigerian mothers
Foreign investor transactions stood at N132.62 billion in July, compared with N186.79 billion in June. The latest figures show a net foreign outflow of about N49.44 billion during the month, with inflows amounting to N41.59 billion and outflows standing at N91.03 billion.
Foreign transactions year-to-date remained broadly stable, totaling N1.29 trillion, compared with N1.28 trillion in the corresponding period of 2025. However, foreign inflows declined to N513.36 billion from N609.73 billion, while outflows increased to N779.43 billion from N671.56 billion.
The expansion of domestic market participation has been substantial, with domestic transactions for the year-to-date period more than doubling from N4.73 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025 to N10.68 trillion in 2026. This growth was supported by robust activity from both institutional and retail investors.
Within the domestic segment, institutional transactions increased to N6.71 trillion in the first seven months of 2026 from N2.74 trillion in the corresponding period of 2025. Concurrently, retail transactions rose to N3.97 trillion from N1.99 trillion, indicating broad-based engagement across the investor base.