Lagos, Nigeria – The Nigerian Exchange wrapped up trading on February 18, 2026, on a positive note, climbing 1,106.72 points to close at 190,427.96 as buying interest lingered across the board, marking a 0.58 percent uptick from the previous close.
Okay News reports that investors exchanged 3.6 billion shares across 68,693 deals, a sharp jump from the 1.19 billion shares recorded previously. Much of the buzz centered on FCMB Group, which accounted for 80 percent of total volume as 2.9 billion shares worth N35.8 billion (approximately $22.9 million) changed hands, supporting market capitalisation to N122.2 trillion ($78.1 billion) . FCMB also topped the value chart, trading alongside heavyweights such as Zenith Bank, MTN Nigeria, Seplat Energy, and PZ Cussons Nigeria.
Market momentum swung back into bullish territory after the prior session’s dip, with the index reclaiming the 190,000 mark and pushing year-to-date returns higher to 22.37 percent. On the gainers’ table, AXA Mansard, Sky Aviation, and Beta Glass each hit the 10 percent daily price limit, reflecting strong demand. Conversely, Deap Capital and Mecure Industries topped the losers’ chart, declining by 10 percent and 9.99 percent respectively.
Among SWOOTs—stocks with market capitalisation above N1 trillion—performance leaned bullish, with Seplat Energy advancing 8.33 percent and International Breweries rising 2.78 percent. On the downside, Wema Bank slipped 0.92 percent, standing out as the only laggard within the large-cap category. In the FUGAZ banking segment, sentiment was mixed as gains in Zenith Bank, United Bank for Africa, and First HoldCo contrasted with declines in Access Holdings and Guaranty Trust Holding Company.
The NGX Banking sector, which fell 3.69 percent in the previous session and pressured the broader market, rebounded 0.67 percent at the close of trading. Although the Nigerian All-Share Index remains in overbought territory, sustained strength in large-cap names could propel the benchmark toward the 191,000 and 192,000 levels. The heavy trading in FCMB shares suggests continued investor confidence in the banking sector, while the overall market rebound signals renewed buying interest across multiple counters.
