MACROECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL MARKETS WEEKLY UPDATE – 22 MAY 2026
System liquidity remained firmly in surplus throughout the week, supported by OMO maturities and PMA repayments, peaking midweek before moderating towards Friday due to auction settlements and CBN liquidity mop-up activities. Despite fluctuations in liquidity balances, the overnight funding rate (NOFR) remained broadly stable, reflecting balanced short-term funding conditions.
The NTB secondary market traded on a largely quiet and range-bound note as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the NTB PMA and MPC meeting. While trading opened with muted activity and largely unchanged yields, strong subscription levels at the NTB auction triggered mild profit-taking in the secondary market. Towards the end of the week, sentiment improved slightly as steady demand and balanced liquidity supported selective buying interest, resulting in a modest increase in benchmark yields.
The Nigerian equities market paused its bullish momentum as profit-taking drove a slight decline in the benchmark index. Despite the pullback, trading activity remained resilient, particularly in tier-1 banking and fundamentally strong counters, while sectoral performance was mixed with gains in banking and oil & gas offset by losses in insurance, industrial, and consumer goods stocks. Overall sentiment remained constructive despite consolidation.