Public holidays in Nigeria, 2026
Nigeria has 13 public holidays in 2026. 11 fall on a working day and 2 on a weekend — which is the number that decides how many days off you actually get.
13 of 13 holidays
- 01 01 New Year's Day Thursday
- 20 03 Id el Fitr Friday
- 03 04 Good Friday Friday
- 06 04 Easter Monday Monday
- 01 05 Worker's Day Friday
- 27 05 Id el Kabir Wednesday
- 12 06 Democracy Day Friday
- 16 06 Islamic New Year Tuesday
- 25 08 Birthday of Muhammad (Mawlid) Tuesday
- 01 10 Independence Day Thursday
- 01 11 National Youth Day Sunday · falls on a weekend
- 25 12 Christmas Day Friday
- 26 12 Boxing Day Saturday · falls on a weekend
2026 at a glance
Every day of the year. Filled squares are public holidays; the pale ones are weekends. A holiday touching a weekend is a long one.
Holidays you have, and days off you get
These are the two different questions this page answers. A country can have a long list of public holidays and still give you fewer days away from work than a neighbour with a shorter list, purely because of which weekday they fall on. Only some countries substitute a weekday when a holiday lands on a weekend; where they do not, the holiday simply passes.
FAQ
How many public holidays does Nigeria have in 2026?
13, of which 11 fall on a working day and 2 on a weekend.
Why does it matter which fall on a weekend?
Because a holiday on a Saturday is a holiday you do not get. 2 of Nigeria's land on one, and most countries do not move them.