By Muhyideen Jimoh
President Bola Tinubu has praised corporate Nigeria, citizens and capital market
stakeholders for surpassing the N100 trillion market capitalisation milestone on the
Nigerian Exchange (NGX).
This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo
Onanuga in Abuja.
Tinubu described the milestone as a strong signal of investor confidence and
renewed faith in Nigeria’s economic direction, urging Nigerians to deepen
investments in the local economy and assuring that 2026 would deliver stronger
returns as reforms continue to mature.
“With the NGX crossing the historic N100 trillion market capitalisation mark,
Nigeria is witnessing the birth of a new economic reality and rejuvenation,” the
President said.
“In 2025, while many global markets struggled, the NGX All-Share Index closed
with a 51.19 per cent return, higher than the 37.65 per cent recorded in 2024. This
performance ranks among the highest globally, outperforming the S&P 500, FTSE
100 and several emerging markets.”
“Nigeria is no longer a frontier market to be ignored. It is now a compelling
destination where value is being discovered,” he added.
The president said the stock market’s strong performance reflected investor
confidence in the broader economy and validates ongoing reforms, noting the
impressive performances across sectors, including industry, banking, technology
and infrastructure.
“Nigerian companies are proving that the country can deliver strong and
sustainable returns on investment,” the Tinubu said.
He said the pipeline for new listings remains strong, with energy firms, telecoms,
technology companies and infrastructure players seeking market access.
Tinubu said additional listings would boost capitalisation and deepen democratic
ownership of the economy.
He said reforms were also delivering positive microeconomic outcomes after initial
adjustment pressures.
“Inflation has continued to decline following monetary tightening and the
elimination of distortionary Ways and Means financing,” he said.
He added that inflation fell from 34.8 per cent in December 2024 to 14.45 per cent
in November 2025.
Tinubu said inflation was projected to decline further in 2026, improving living
standards and accelerating GDP growth.
He also highlighted improvements in Nigeria’s external position. “Nigeria posted a
$16 billion current account surplus in 2024, with projections rising to $18.81
billion in 2026,” he said, adding that non-oil exports surged by 48 per cent by the
third quarter of 2025, reaching N9.2 trillion.
Exports to Africa rose by 97 per cent, while manufacturing exports grew by 67 per
cent year-on-year, he added.
The president said foreign reserves exceeded $45 billion, providing stability for the
naira and cushioning external shocks, while the Central Bank projects reserves to
exceed $50 billion in the first quarter of 2026.
Tinubu also highlighted progress in rail expansion, road construction and port
revitalization, citing the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry superhighways as
transformative national infrastructure projects.
The president said healthcare delivery was improving, medical tourism costs
declining and education financing expanding through NELFUND.
“Nation-building is a process. The N100 trillion market capitalisation signals that
Nigeria’s economy is robust and productive,” Tinubu said.
