NGX 30: Top 10 best-performing largest Nigerian stocks year-to-date 

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The NGX 30 Index, which tracks the 30 largest companies on the Nigerian Exchange, has delivered a strong performance so far in 2025, posting a year-to-date gain of 33.18%.

Starting the year at 3,811.9 points, the index has gained 1,264.8 points to reach 5,076.8, reflecting the bullish momentum sweeping through the market.

The broader Nigerian All-Share Index (ASI) has also had an outstanding run, up 35.03% year-to-date, outperforming the NGX 30 by 1.85%.

• While the ASI captures the entire equities market, the NGX 30 narrows its scope to the top 30 most liquid and capitalized stocks.

These heavily capitalized stocks carry substantial market value, meaning their price movements strongly influence both the All-Share Index and the sectoral indices they belong to.

In this work, however, the spotlight is on the 10 best-performing stocks within the NGX 30 in 2025 so far, ranked by how much their share prices have appreciated this year.

Here they are: 

BUA Cement (63.23%)

BUA Cement Plc holds the 10th spot with a year-to-date return of 63.23% in 2025. The stock opened the year at N93, still deep in a retracement from 2024 that dragged it from N185 down to N93.

It slid further in March to N83.70 and stalled through much of the second quarter before staging a decisive turnaround in June.

• That month, the price climbed to N95.40, then surged in July, its strongest month so far, rising more than 41% to close at N135.

The bullish momentum continued modestly in August, and by early September, the stock had pushed above N150, now at N151.80.

• Much of this rally, especially in July, was likely driven by the company’s strong half-year results, where pretax profit soared to N214.8 billion from N40.1 billion in H1 2024.
• Revenue also jumped 59.45% to N580.3 billion on the back of robust cement sales.

Dangote Sugar (69.23%)

At number 9 is Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, with a year-to-date gain of 69.23%. The stock began 2025 at N32.50, having fallen sharply from a 2024 high of N67.90.

The first quarter was relatively soft, with the price edging to N33.10 in March 2025. Things improved in Q2, but the breakout came in July when it spiked 53.61% to close at N73.50.

Although it retraced in August and early September, it has managed to hold on to much of its yearly gains and currently trades at N55.00.

• Its Q2 2025 results showed a remarkable recovery, swinging to a profit of N523.8 million in Q2 from a staggering N104.5 billion loss in the same quarter of 2024, supported by strong revenue growth and lower foreign exchange losses.

Stanbic IBTC (73.52%)

Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc takes the 8th position with a year-to-date performance of 73.52%. Opening the year at N57.60, the stock rose to N99.95 on the back of 257 million shares traded.

After a sluggish first quarter, momentum picked up in May, pushing the price to N69.20 by month-end. The rally strengthened through June and July, with the stock breaking N100 and closing July at N101.

Despite minor pullbacks in August and early September, it has retained most of its gains.

• The surge coincided with Q1 2025 results released in late April, where pretax profit nearly doubled to N116.4 billion, up 85.6% YoY.
• Net interest income grew to N149.8 billion from N76.9 billion, while fees and commissions climbed to N63.7 billion from N44.5 billion.

Nestlé Nigeria (113.71%)

Nestlé Nigeria Plc comes in at number 7 with a remarkable year-to-date gain of 113.71%. The stock started the year at N875 and doubled to N1,870, breaking through resistance at N1,600.

After a moderately bullish first quarter, the stock reached N1,000 in April, rallied sharply by 44.6% in May, dipped briefly in June, and then surged to N1,890 in July.

Despite minor declines in August and early September, it has managed to hold on to most of its gains.

• The rally was supported by a sharp turnaround in its Q1 2025 results, which showed a pretax profit of N51.1 billion compared to a N196 billion loss in Q1 2024.
• By Q2, half-year profit stood at N88.3 billion, compared to a loss of N252.5 billion in H1 2024.

Nigerian Breweries (114.06%)

Nigerian Breweries Plc takes the 6th spot with a 114.06% year-to-date gain. The stock opened at N32 and has advanced to N68.50, with 1.7 billion shares traded so far.

The bullish trend began in Q2, with April and May ending higher. By June, the price had climbed to N59.00, delivering a quarterly return of 73.02%.

In Q3, July’s surge to N77.05 kept performance strong despite slight pullbacks in August and early September.

• H1 2025 results showed a pretax profit of N88.42 billion, a sharp reversal from the N85.20 billion loss recorded in H1 2024.
• Revenue also rose 54% to N738.14 billion, with reduced FX losses providing further support.

MTN Nigeria (117.5%)

At number 5 is MTN Nigeria Communications Limited, with a year-to-date performance of 117.5%. The stock opened at N200 and has more than doubled to N435, with over 606 million shares traded.

After posting a 22.5% return in Q1, momentum intensified in Q2 as the stock broke N300 in June, closing at N357.50 with a half-year return of 78.75%.

July brought another 32% surge to N472, helping sustain performance into Q3 despite some pullback in August and September.

• In its Q2 results, MTN reported a pretax profit of N419.6 billion, a sharp turnaround from a N179.6 billion loss in the same quarter of 2024.
• The strong results marked the third consecutive profitable quarter since its struggles in 2023 and 2024, likely reinforcing investor confidence in the company’s fundamentals.

International Breweries (121.62%)

International Breweries Plc ranks 4th with a 121.62% year-to-date gain. Starting the year at N5.55, the stock climbed to N12.30 on the back of over 640 million shares traded.

The rally began in Q2, with gains in April and May lifting the stock to N13.90 in June, translating into a quarterly return of 172.55%.

While a decline that started in July trimmed some of the gains, its performance remains among the year’s best.

• In Q2 2025, the company posted a pretax profit of N26.4 billion, a turnaround from a N61.8 billion loss in the same period last year.

• Half-year profit came in at N61.5 billion, compared to a loss of N150.2 billion in H1 2024, driven by lower finance costs and steady revenue growth.

Okomu Oil (129.73%)

Okomu Oil Palm Company Plc takes 3rd place with a 129.73% year-to-date performance. Opening at N444, the stock surged to N1,020, with 80 million shares traded.

After a relatively slow start in Q1, the bullish trend took off in May and June, bringing Q2 performance to 44.9% compared to 22.79% in Q1.

In July, the stock crossed the N1,000 mark, where it remained despite mild pullbacks in August and early September.

• Its Q2 2025 results showed pretax profit at N34.8 billion, up 459% from N6.2 billion in the same quarter of 2024 and beating forecasts by more than 238%.

Wema Bank (139.56%)

In second place is Wema Bank Plc, with a year-to-date gain of 139.56%. The stock began the year at N9.10 and soared to N21.80, trading 1.3 billion shares along the way.

After reaching N11.65 in February, it dipped in March but bounced back in April to break N15.

July marked its strongest month, taking the stock to N22, followed by a mild extension to N23 in August. Despite some retracement in early September, it remains firmly above N20.

• Wema Bank’s H1 2025 pretax profit came in at N100.5 billion, a 229.12% jump from N30.5 billion in the same period of 2024, driven by robust interest income from loans and advances.

Presco (211.58%)

At the top of the list is Presco Plc, with a staggering 211.58% year-to-date gain. The stock opened the year at N475 and has soared to N1,480, supported by 61.5 million shares traded.

With the exception of a red August and two months of flat trading in Q2, Presco has closed nearly every month in positive territory.

After moderate gains in Q1 and early Q2, the rally exploded in June as the stock smashed through the N1,000 level and surged toward N1,500 in July. Though it slipped slightly in August, it remains near that level at N1,480.

• H1 2025 results showed pretax profit at N111.8 billion, up 121.76% from H1 2024. Revenue nearly doubled to N198.7 billion from N88 billion, driven entirely by crude and refined palm oil product sales.