The Johannesburg Stock Exchange closes at 17:00 SAST. The Nigerian Exchange shuts four and a half hours earlier in UTC terms. That gap catches out anyone who assumes African markets march to the same clock. They don't. The continent's exchanges run on offsets from UTC-1 in Cabo Verde to UTC+4 in Mauritius, and their sessions reflect local history as much as global liquidity. Here are the exact schedules, the overlaps that matter, and the traps to avoid.
Africa Stock Exchange Hours: The Major Bourses
Africa has 29 operational exchanges. Most international attention falls on five: the JSE, the NGX, the Nairobi Securities Exchange, the Egyptian Exchange, and the Casablanca Stock Exchange. Their sessions differ by offset, by weekend structure, and by closing auction mechanics.
| Exchange | Location | Time Zone | Session (Local) | Session (UTC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JSE | Johannesburg | SAST (UTC+2) | 09:00-17:00 | 07:00-15:00 |
| NGX | Lagos | WAT (UTC+1) | 09:30-14:30 | 08:30-13:30 |
| Nairobi Securities Exchange | Nairobi | EAT (UTC+3) | 09:00-15:00 | 06:00-12:00 |
| Egyptian Exchange | Cairo | EET (UTC+2) | 10:00-14:30 | 08:00-12:30 |
| Casablanca Stock Exchange | Casablanca | UTC+1 | 09:30-15:30 | 08:30-14:30 |
Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) Session
The JSE is Africa's largest exchange by market capitalisation. It runs on South African Standard Time (SAST), fixed at UTC+2. South Africa does not observe daylight saving.
Session: 09:00-17:00 SAST, Monday to Friday.
That is 07:00-15:00 UTC every weekday of the year. The session runs continuously. No lunch break. The closing auction fires between 16:50 and 17:00 SAST.
The 17:00 close overlaps neatly with London. The London Stock Exchange shuts at 16:30 GMT, meaning the JSE's final hour runs alongside Europe's afternoon. Liquidity peaks between 09:00 and 15:00 UTC, when European desks are fully staffed.
Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Session
The NGX is West Africa's largest bourse. Nigeria stays on West Africa Time (WAT), UTC+1, all year. No daylight saving.
Session: 09:30-14:30 WAT, Monday to Friday.
That is 08:30-13:30 UTC. The exchange runs a continuous session from the open, with a closing auction at 14:20 WAT. The 14:30 close is early. London's morning is still underway when Lagos shuts.
The window for European traders is tight. You have from 08:30 UTC to 13:30 UTC. After that, the market is done until the next day.
Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) Session
Kenya uses East Africa Time (EAT), UTC+3. The NSE opens at 09:00 EAT and runs continuously until 14:30, followed by a closing auction from 14:30 to 15:00 EAT. That is 06:00-12:00 UTC.
East African markets close before lunch in London. If you are trading from Europe or the US East Coast, you need to act in the morning.
Egyptian Exchange (EGX) Session
Cairo runs on Eastern European Time (EET), UTC+2. The EGX trades 10:00-14:30 EET, Sunday to Thursday. That is 08:00-12:30 UTC.
Egypt's weekend is Friday and Saturday. The exchange is open Sunday through Thursday. If you hold a pan-African portfolio, note the gap: the EGX closes Thursday and does not reopen until Sunday morning.
Casablanca Stock Exchange Session
Morocco uses UTC+1. The Casablanca exchange trades 09:30-15:30, Sunday to Friday. Yes, Sunday. Morocco's weekend is Saturday and Sunday, but the bourse opens Sunday morning and runs through Friday.
Other African Stock Exchange Sessions
| Exchange | Country | Time Zone | Session (Local) | UTC Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BRVM | Ivory Coast | GMT (UTC+0) | 09:00-15:00 | 09:00-15:00 |
| Ghana Stock Exchange | Ghana | GMT (UTC+0) | 10:00-15:00 | 10:00-15:00 |
| Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange | Tanzania | EAT (UTC+3) | 09:00-15:00 | 06:00-12:00 |
| Uganda Securities Exchange | Uganda | EAT (UTC+3) | 09:00-15:00 | 06:00-12:00 |
Forex: The London/New York Overlap in African Time
The London/New York overlap, the most liquid window in forex, runs 13:00-17:00 GMT. Here is what that means across African offsets.
| Zone | UTC Offset | London/NY Overlap |
|---|---|---|
| WAT (Nigeria, Cameroon) | UTC+1 | 14:00-18:00 |
| CAT/SAST (South Africa, Zimbabwe) | UTC+2 | 15:00-19:00 |
| EAT (Kenya, Tanzania) | UTC+3 | 16:00-20:00 |
In Lagos, the overlap starts at 14:00 and ends at 18:00. In Johannesburg, 15:00 to 19:00. In Nairobi, 16:00 to 20:00. That is when spreads tighten and volume surges.
The Asian session is the opposite. Tokyo opens at 00:00 GMT: 02:00 WAT, 03:00 CAT, 04:00 EAT. Trading the Asian book from Africa means very early mornings.
How Africa Stock Exchange Hours Shape a Trading Day
The 14:30 NGX close. The Nigerian Exchange shuts at 14:30 WAT (13:30 UTC). London's afternoon session is barely moving. You get a 4.5-hour overlap with Europe's morning, then nothing until the next day.
The JSE/London overlap. The JSE runs 07:00-15:00 UTC. London trades 08:00-16:30 GMT. The overlap is near-perfect. Liquidity concentrates between 09:00 and 15:00 UTC. The JSE closing auction at 14:50 UTC fires just after London's close, so late European news can still move prices.
East Africa's early finish. Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, and Kampala all wrap by 15:00 local time (12:00 UTC). East African equities are done before lunch in London. Trades need to be placed in the morning window.
The weekend mismatch. Egypt and Morocco trade Sunday to Thursday. The rest of the continent trades Monday to Friday. A portfolio spanning both schedules has a two-day gap between the Egyptian close on Thursday and the Egyptian open on Sunday.
How Do I Time Trades Across African Exchanges?
South African equities from Europe: the JSE's 09:00-17:00 SAST session gives you a full day of overlap with London. No rush.
Nigerian equities: your window is 08:30-13:30 UTC. Morning only. Plan accordingly.
East African equities: be at your desk before 12:00 UTC. After that, the market is closed.
Forex from Africa: the London/New York overlap is your best window, but it starts at different local times. Lagos 14:00. Johannesburg 15:00. Nairobi 16:00.
Check the current time in the exchange's home city before you place a trade. Understand WAT, CAT, and EAT properly with the Africa time zones explained guide. If you are scheduling calls or meetings around African markets, the business hours in Africa guide breaks down working hours across the continent.
One last point: never assume neighbouring exchanges run identical schedules. The Democratic Republic of the Congo alone spans two offsets. Check each exchange's official site for its trading calendar. Public holidays differ sharply. Nigeria, South Africa, and Kenya each observe their own set, and each bourse closes accordingly.