Public holidays and oda days of observance in Nigeria for 2026

Two weomen wey dey smile wear beaded croen and calabash dey dance, dem dress like di Benin pipo from souther Nigeria.

Wia dis foto come from, PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images)

Wetin we call dis foto, Cultural team from Nigeria Arts and Culture dey perform
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Christmas and New Year festivities don pass and as di New Year don start, holidays still plenti for front.

As usual, di religious holidays, school breaks and govment holidays na di popular breaks wey Nigeria dey get annually.

Make we chook eye for di Public Holidays wey go happun for 2026.

Days wey govment go declare as public holidays

Participants for di traditional Eyo Festival, dem wear white garments, wide-hat and dem carry wooden staff known as Opambata, as crowds gada to celebrate di cultural heritage and history of Lagos for Lagos, Nigeria,

Wia dis foto come from, Emmanuel Osodi/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Wetin we call dis foto, Eyo festival for Lagos Nigeria

January 1

Dis one na New Year Day and govment don already declare di holiday on Thursday wey just pass.

March 20

Friday fit be Public Holiday sake of Eid El-Fitr.

Note say dis date fit change (sake of say na wen dem see di moon dey determine wen govment go declare public holiday or not. March 21 fit be holiday too as di date fit shift.

April 3

Good Friday and Easter Sunday na Christian holiday wey Christians dey use remember di crucifixion of Jesus Christ and im death on Calvary. For 2026, Good Friday fall on 3 April while Easter Sunday na 5 April while 6 April na Easter Monday.

May 1

Thursday May 1 na Workers Day for Nigeria and na public holiday. Di day na for make workers rest and jolly and also celebrate diasefs.

May 27

Dis year, May 27 get two celebrations, e just be say one fit change. Public Holiday fit dey on 27 May wey be Wednesday and Thursday 28 sake of Id el Kabir but di date fit change.

Di one wey sure pass na Children Day celebration.

June 12

Friday June 12 na Democracy Day. Nigeria govment go declare public holiday on dat day to celebrate democracy and how di kontri dey stable under democracy afta military govment end since 1999.

August 26

Na Wednesday and e fit be di date for Id el Maulud, di Muslim celebration wey dem dey do to mark di birth of Prophet Muhammed.

October 1

Na Thursday and na to mark Nigeria Independence.

December 25

Na Friday, Christians dey celebrate Christmas Day to mark di birth of Jesus Christ.

December 26

Na Saturday, Boxing Day and na public holiday for Nigeria.

31 December

Dis na New Year Eve Observance and e fall on Thursday for 2026 no be generally public holiday but some pipo dey observe am.