The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange experienced a significant surge in market capitalization during the week ending Friday, May 30, 2025, reaching N1.90 trillion, a notable increase from the N1.87 trillion recorded the previous week. This growth underscores a renewed interest and confidence among investors in unlisted securities traded on the alternative exchange platform. The upswing reflects a positive market sentiment and potentially signifies increasing recognition of the value proposition offered by unlisted companies seeking capital and liquidity outside of the traditional stock exchange.
This positive market sentiment was further corroborated by the performance of the NASD Securities Index, which recorded a substantial week-on-week gain of 1.86 percent, closing at 3,248.00 points, up from 3,188.76 points the previous week. This index movement suggests a broader market rally within the NASD OTC exchange, indicating that the growth wasn’t limited to a few specific securities but was rather a more widespread phenomenon. The index’s climb reflects the overall increased investor activity and the positive valuation adjustments across a range of listed companies.
Trading activity on the NASD OTC platform also witnessed a dramatic surge during the week. A total of 551.01 million shares, valued at N5.14 billion, were traded across 133 deals. This represents a substantial increase compared to the previous week’s figures of 43.83 million shares worth N237.04 million exchanged in 100 deals. The surge in trading volume and value signifies a significant injection of liquidity into the market, possibly driven by increased investor participation and potentially reflecting growing awareness and accessibility of the NASD OTC platform. This heightened trading activity further reinforces the positive momentum observed in the market capitalization and index performance.
The oil and gas sector dominated trading activity on the NASD OTC exchange, accounting for a significant 81.37% of the total traded volume. This sector alone saw 506.19 million shares worth N4.18 billion exchanged across 21 deals. The consumer goods sector followed with 15.77 million shares valued at N638.94 million executed across 48 deals. The dominance of the oil and gas sector suggests that investors were particularly attracted to companies within this industry, possibly due to factors such as perceived stability, potential growth prospects, or dividend payouts. The robust performance of the oil and gas sector played a key role in driving the overall market activity on the NASD OTC Exchange during the week.
Further analysis of the NASD OTC market activity reveals that two companies, Air Liquide Plc and FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, were the primary drivers of the week’s trading volume. These two companies combined accounted for a staggering 96.68% of the total traded volume, representing 506.16 million shares valued at N4.46 billion across just five deals. This concentrated trading activity in a select few securities highlights the potential influence of large institutional investors or specific corporate actions that might have triggered significant trading volumes in these particular stocks. The dominance of these two companies underscores the importance of monitoring individual company performance and news flow to understand the dynamics driving the overall market trends on the NASD OTC platform.
The weekly performance of individual securities on the NASD OTC platform also offered insights into specific company trends. FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc emerged as the top gainer, with its share price appreciating by 25.59%, rising from N43.93 to N55.17. Other notable gainers included Afriland Properties Plc, Food Concepts Plc, and Geo-Fluids Plc. On the other hand, 11 Plc led the decliners, experiencing a price drop of N10.13 to close at N231.20. Firsttrust Mortgage Bank Plc and Nipco Plc also recorded declines, dropping by 4.20% and 0.04%, respectively. These individual stock movements provide a more granular view of market dynamics, reflecting company-specific performance, investor sentiment, and broader sector trends within the NASD OTC market. Analyzing these individual stock performances, alongside overall market indices and trading volumes, offers a comprehensive understanding of the forces shaping the investment landscape on the alternative exchange platform.
