Key takeaways
- Nigeria has 13 public holiday days in 2026 across 11 holidays, including two days each for Eid-el-Fitr and Eid-el-Kabir.
- The Federal Government declared Eid-el-Fitr on 19 and 20 March, Eid-el-Kabir on 27 and 28 May, and Eid-ul-Mawlid on 25 August 2026.
- Boxing Day 2026 falls on a Saturday. A Monday work-free day is often declared in such years; confirm when the Ministry of Interior announces it.
- The Labour Act does not set a premium for working on a public holiday. Holiday pay comes from your contract, handbook or collective agreement.
Holidays for 2016 have not been published yet.
Nigeria’s public holidays are a mix of fixed dates, the Easter holidays and three Islamic holidays that move each year with the lunar calendar. This page lists every holiday for 2026 with the dates the Federal Government declared, the expected dates for 2027, and what employers need to plan for. The calendar above updates as holidays are confirmed.
Public holidays in Nigeria 2026
Nigeria's public holidays in 2026
- 1Jan
New Year's Day
Thursday
- 19Mar
Eid-el-Fitr
19 to 20 March · Thursday and Friday, declared by the FG
- 3Apr
Good Friday
Friday
- 6Apr
Easter Monday
Monday
- 1May
Workers' Day
Friday
- 27May
Eid-el-Kabir
27 to 28 May · Wednesday and Thursday, declared by the FG
- 12Jun
Democracy Day
Friday
- 25Aug
Eid-ul-Mawlid
Tuesday, declared by the FG
- 1Oct
Independence Day
Thursday
- 25Dec
Christmas Day
Friday
- 26Dec
Boxing Day
Saturday. Check for a declared Monday work-free day
| Holiday | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | 1 January | Thursday |
| Eid-el-Fitr | 19 and 20 March | Thursday and Friday |
| Good Friday | 3 April | Friday |
| Easter Monday | 6 April | Monday |
| Workers’ Day | 1 May | Friday |
| Eid-el-Kabir | 27 and 28 May | Wednesday and Thursday |
| Democracy Day | 12 June | Friday |
| Eid-ul-Mawlid | 25 August | Tuesday |
| Independence Day | 1 October | Thursday |
| Christmas Day | 25 December | Friday |
| Boxing Day | 26 December | Saturday |
2026 in numbers
Source: Ministry of Interior declarations, 2026.
Expected public holidays in 2027
Nigeria's expected public holidays in 2027
Islamic holiday dates are estimates until the Federal Government declares them after moon sighting.
- 1Jan
New Year's Day
Friday
- 10Mar
Eid-el-Fitr
About 10 March · Expected; usually two days
- 26Mar
Good Friday
Friday
- 29Mar
Easter Monday
Monday
- 1May
Workers' Day
Saturday. Check for a substitute day
- 16May
Eid-el-Kabir
About 16 May · Expected; usually two days
- 12Jun
Democracy Day
Saturday. Check for a substitute day
- 15Aug
Eid-el-Maulud
About 15 August · Expected
- 1Oct
Independence Day
Friday
- 25Dec
Christmas Day
Saturday. Check for substitute days
- 26Dec
Boxing Day
Sunday. Check for substitute days
Four of 2027’s fixed holidays fall on a weekend: Workers’ Day and Democracy Day on Saturdays, and Christmas Day and Boxing Day on a Saturday and Sunday. In past years the Federal Government has often declared the following Monday, or Monday and Tuesday, as work-free days in this situation, but it is announced each time. Plan rotas assuming substitute days are possible, and confirm when they are declared.
What each holiday marks
- New Year’s Day (1 January). The start of the calendar year.
- Eid-el-Fitr. The end of Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting. Two days are usually declared.
- Good Friday and Easter Monday. The Christian Easter holidays. Their dates follow Easter Sunday, which moves between late March and late April.
- Workers’ Day (1 May). International Workers’ Day, marked by labour unions across Nigeria.
- Eid-el-Kabir. Also called Eid-el-Adha or Sallah, the Feast of Sacrifice, about ten weeks after Eid-el-Fitr. Two days are usually declared.
- Democracy Day (12 June). Marks the return to democracy and honours the 12 June 1993 election. It replaced 29 May as Democracy Day from 2019.
- Eid-el-Maulud. Also written Eid-ul-Mawlid, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad.
- Independence Day (1 October). Nigeria’s independence in 1960.
- Christmas Day and Boxing Day (25 and 26 December). The Christmas holidays.
Days that are not national public holidays
Some dates are widely marked but are not national public holidays, so normal working rules apply unless a declaration says otherwise. Children’s Day on 27 May is observed by schools. States can declare their own holidays, which apply only in that state. If a state holiday affects one of your sites, treat it as a local holiday in your rota and attendance records, and check whether your contracts or handbook promise anything for local holidays.
How public holidays are declared
The Public Holidays Act lists Nigeria’s public holidays. Each year, the Federal Government, through the Minister of Interior, announces each holiday a few days before it falls. The announcement confirms the date of the Islamic holidays after the moon is sighted, and any work-free day that replaces a holiday falling at the weekend. State governments sometimes declare extra holidays for their own state, such as a state creation day, which apply only there.
Because the Islamic dates are confirmed late, employers with shift work, customer-facing teams or production schedules should plan for a range of possible dates and confirm rotas once the declaration is made.
What employers need to plan for
Pay for the holiday
Staff on monthly salaries are paid as normal for public holidays; the holiday does not reduce monthly pay. Daily-paid workers are a different case, and their contracts should say whether holidays are paid.
Work on a public holiday
Hospitals, security, hospitality, manufacturing and many other operations run through public holidays. The Labour Act does not set a special rate for holiday work, so what you pay comes from the contract, the handbook or a collective agreement. Common approaches are a premium rate for hours worked, a day off in lieu, or both. Whatever you choose, write it down and apply it to everyone in the same role.
Rest days still apply
The Labour Act entitles workers to at least one rest day of 24 consecutive hours in every seven days. Holiday rotas that run people for long stretches without a rest day breach that rule. Where a rest day is reduced, the Act provides for time off within 14 days or pay at overtime rates.
Annual leave and public holidays
Section 18 of the Labour Act sets the minimum paid annual leave but does not say how public holidays interact with it. Most leave policies state that public holidays falling inside a period of annual leave are not counted as leave days. Put that rule in your leave policy so staff and managers apply it the same way. See our annual leave guide for the full entitlement.
Pay day and remittance deadlines
When pay day falls on a public holiday or weekend, most employers pay on the last working day before it. Do the same with remittance deadlines: PAYE by the 10th, pension within 7 days of paying salaries and NSITF by month end. Holiday declarations at short notice can shorten the working days available, so prepare schedules early in months with Eid holidays.
Attendance records
Mark public holidays as holidays for everyone in your attendance register, so they are not counted as absence. Our free attendance register has a code for it.
Planning checklist for each holiday
A month before
When the date is declared
After the holiday
Ticks are saved in this browser only.
Download the calendar
Use the calendar at the top of this page to add the holidays to Google Calendar, Outlook or Apple Calendar. We update it when the Federal Government declares new dates.
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Sources
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to what employers ask us most about this topic.
How many public holidays are there in Nigeria in 2026?
Eleven holidays, giving 13 days off: New Year's Day, two days of Eid-el-Fitr, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Workers' Day, two days of Eid-el-Kabir, Democracy Day, Eid-ul-Mawlid, Independence Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
When is the next public holiday in Nigeria?
The calendar at the top of this page shows the next holiday from today's date. In late 2026, the next holidays are Christmas Day on Friday 25 December and Boxing Day on Saturday 26 December.
Are public holidays paid in Nigeria?
Staff on monthly salaries are normally paid as usual for public holidays. The Labour Act does not set a special rate for working on a public holiday, so any extra pay or day off in lieu comes from the contract, handbook or a collective agreement.
Who declares public holidays in Nigeria?
The Federal Government, through the Minister of Interior, announces each holiday shortly before it falls, including the dates of the Islamic holidays after moon sighting and any substitute days for holidays that fall at the weekend.
