The author used both the survey method and secondary data from brokerage firms to evaluate the determinant of stock buying behaviour of individual investors in the Nigeria equity market. The outcomes from these data sets were statistically tested and the result were revealing. •Low level portfolio diversification and the level of experiences exhibited by investors' mitigates the bias confronting the individual investors' stock buying behaviours. •The levels of confidence demonstrated were strong. •Gender disparity has no influence on daily transactions but the female investors were more willing to sell while male were highly frequent in trade. •The age of the investors is a strong factor that determines the degree of risk the investor is willing to take in investing on the equity market. •The decision to invest is affected by earnings announcement as well as dividend policies. Other results obtained and the implications of the study are full of insights for investors, financial analysts, brokerage firms and regulatory authorities in developing countries.