The Nigerian equities market closed higher on Thursday, with investors gaining N192bn as buying interest in selected banking, energy and consumer goods stocks outweighed losses across a broader segment of the market.

The Nigerian Exchange Limited All-Share Index rose by 297.10 points, or 0.12 per cent, to close at 245,209.34 index points, up from 244,912.24 recorded in the previous session.

Similarly, market capitalisation increased from N158.086tn at the opening of trading to N158.278tn at the close, reflecting a gain of N192bn for investors.

Market breadth, however, remained negative as 24 stocks appreciated compared with 35 decliners. The trend highlights continued selective buying amid sustained profit-taking across several counters, with gains in mid-cap stocks sufficient to keep the benchmark index in positive territory.