Public holidays in Ethiopia in 2026 are governed by Public Holidays Proclamation No. 1334/2024. The law distinguishes celebrated national holidays and religious holidays, when government and non-government institutions generally close, from memorial national holidays that are commemorated nationwide without requiring institutional closure. Several Christian and Islamic holidays are movable, so their exact Gregorian dates must be verified for each year.
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Next Public Holiday in Ethiopia
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 9, 2026 | Wednesday | Ethiopian National Unity Day (Ethiopian Nations and Nationalities Day) | Memorial Holiday |
Public Holidays in Ethiopia 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 7, 2026 | Wednesday | Ethiopian Christmas | Confirmed |
| January 19, 2026 | Monday | Epiphany (Timkat) | Confirmed |
| February 20, 2026 | Friday | Ethiopian Martyrs’ Day | Memorial Holiday |
| March 2, 2026 | Monday | Adwa Victory Day | Confirmed |
| March 20, 2026 | Friday | Eid al-Fitr | Confirmed |
| April 10, 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Confirmed |
| April 12, 2026 | Sunday | Ethiopian Easter (Fasika) | Confirmed |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | International Workers’ Day | Confirmed |
| May 5, 2026 | Tuesday | Ethiopian Patriots’ Victory Day | Confirmed |
| May 27, 2026 | Wednesday | Eid al-Adha (Arafa) | Confirmed |
| August 24, 2026 | Monday | Mawlid / Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday | Confirmed |
| September 11, 2026 | Friday | Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash) | Confirmed |
| September 27, 2026 | Sunday | Meskel – Finding of the True Cross | Confirmed |
| December 9, 2026 | Wednesday | Ethiopian National Unity Day (Ethiopian Nations and Nationalities Day) | Memorial Holiday |
How Public Holidays Work in Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s current public-holiday framework is established by Public Holidays Proclamation No. 1334/2024, published in the Federal Negarit Gazette on 14 August 2024.
The proclamation separates public holidays into three important categories: celebrated national holidays, memorial national holidays and religious holidays.
Government and non-government institutions are generally closed for the celebrated national holidays under Article 4 and the religious holidays under Article 6, unless employees are legally required to work because of the nature of the service.
Memorial national holidays under Article 5 are different. They are commemorated throughout Ethiopia, but government and non-government institutions remain open.
Celebrated National Holidays in Ethiopia
Article 4 of the Public Holidays Proclamation establishes four celebrated national holidays for which institutions generally close.
- Ethiopian New Year (Enkutatash): 11 September.
- Adwa Victory Day: 2 March.
- International Workers’ Day: 1 May.
- Ethiopian Patriots’ Victory Day: 5 May.
These dates are distinct from memorial national holidays, which have a different legal treatment under the proclamation.
Religious Public Holidays in Ethiopia
Article 6 of Proclamation No. 1334/2024 recognises eight religious holidays at national level: Meskel, Ethiopian Christmas, Epiphany, Good Friday, Easter, Mawlid, Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Government and non-government institutions generally close for these religious public holidays. Some fall on fixed Gregorian dates, while others move according to the Ethiopian Orthodox or Islamic religious calendar.
Ethiopian Christmas and Timkat in 2026
Ethiopian Christmas
Ethiopian Christmas is observed on 7 January and is one of the religious holidays expressly identified in Article 6.
In 2026, Ethiopian Christmas falls on Wednesday, 7 January.
Timkat
Epiphany, widely known as Timkat in Ethiopia, is observed on 19 January. It commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ and is one of Ethiopia’s major Orthodox Christian celebrations.
In 2026, Timkat falls on Monday, 19 January.
Adwa Victory Day
Adwa Victory Day is observed on 2 March and is one of the four celebrated national holidays listed in Article 4 of the current proclamation.
The holiday commemorates Ethiopia’s victory over Italian forces at the Battle of Adwa in 1896.
In 2026, Adwa Victory Day falls on Monday, 2 March.
Eid al-Fitr in Ethiopia in 2026
Eid al-Fitr is a nationwide religious public holiday under Article 6. Because its Gregorian date changes according to the Islamic calendar, an exact date should be confirmed for each year.
In 2026, Ethiopian Muslims celebrated Eid al-Fitr nationwide on Friday, 20 March. Ethiopian News Agency reporting from that date documented celebrations across Addis Ababa and other parts of the country.
Good Friday and Ethiopian Easter in 2026
Good Friday and Easter are both nationwide religious public holidays in Ethiopia.
In 2026, Good Friday, locally known as Siklet, was observed on Friday, 10 April. Ethiopian Easter, known as Fasika, was celebrated on Sunday, 12 April.
These dates change annually according to the Ethiopian Orthodox Easter cycle, so future-year dates should be independently verified rather than copied from the 2026 calendar.
International Workers’ Day
International Workers’ Day is one of Ethiopia’s four celebrated national holidays and is observed annually on 1 May.
In 2026, International Workers’ Day falls on Friday, 1 May.
Ethiopian Patriots’ Victory Day
Ethiopian Patriots’ Victory Day is observed on 5 May and commemorates the return of Emperor Haile Selassie to Addis Ababa and the end of the Italian occupation in 1941.
The current Public Holidays Proclamation expressly lists 5 May as a celebrated national holiday.
In 2026, Ethiopian Patriots’ Victory Day falls on Tuesday, 5 May.
Eid al-Adha in Ethiopia in 2026
Eid al-Adha, locally also associated with Arafa, is a nationwide religious public holiday under Article 6.
Ethiopian News Agency reported that Muslims throughout Ethiopia celebrated Eid al-Adha on Wednesday, 27 May 2026. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed had also issued a message on 26 May referring to the celebration taking place the following day.
Because Eid al-Adha follows the Islamic calendar, its Gregorian date changes each year and should not be predicted from an earlier holiday schedule.
Mawlid in Ethiopia in 2026
Mawlid, the commemoration of the birth of Prophet Muhammad, is one of the religious holidays recognised by Ethiopia’s current Public Holidays Proclamation.
In 2026, Mawlid was observed on Monday, 24 August. Ethiopian News Agency reported the Prime Minister’s official message marking the occasion on that date.
Ethiopian New Year in 2026
Ethiopian New Year, known as Enkutatash, is celebrated on 11 September and is one of the four celebrated national holidays under Article 4.
In 2026, Ethiopian New Year falls on Friday, 11 September.
Meskel in Ethiopia in 2026
Meskel, the Feast of the Finding of the True Cross, is observed on 27 September and is expressly recognised as a religious public holiday under Article 6.
In 2026, Meskel falls on Sunday, 27 September.
Memorial National Holidays in Ethiopia
Ethiopia’s current law also creates a separate category of memorial national holidays. These dates are nationally recognised, but they do not require government or non-government institutions to close.
Ethiopian Martyrs’ Day
Ethiopian Martyrs’ Day is commemorated on 20 February. Article 5 classifies it as a memorial national holiday.
Ethiopian National Unity Day
Ethiopian National Unity Day, also referred to in the proclamation as Ethiopian Nations and Nationalities Day, is commemorated on 9 December.
Because both dates are memorial holidays rather than institutional closure holidays, they should be kept separate from the principal nationwide public-holiday database.
Is 28 May a Public Holiday in Ethiopia?
28 May, historically associated with the downfall of the Derg, is not included among the celebrated national holidays listed in Article 4 of the current Public Holidays Proclamation No. 1334/2024.
Older holiday calendars may continue to display the date, but the current legal framework should be used when determining the nationwide public-holiday schedule.
Do Ethiopian Institutions Close on Every National Commemoration?
No. The current law distinguishes between celebrated national holidays and memorial national holidays.
Government and non-government institutions generally close for the celebrated national holidays listed in Article 4. By contrast, institutions remain open on the memorial national holidays identified in Article 5.
This distinction is important when interpreting a holiday as a nationwide day off rather than simply a nationally recognised commemoration.
Are Islamic Holiday Dates Fixed in Ethiopia?
No. Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha and Mawlid follow the Islamic calendar and therefore move through the Gregorian calendar.
For 2026, state reporting confirms Eid al-Fitr on 20 March, Eid al-Adha on 27 May and Mawlid on 24 August.
Future dates should be verified from authoritative Ethiopian announcements or contemporaneous government reporting rather than estimated from the previous year.
Does Ethiopia Move Weekend Public Holidays to Monday?
Proclamation No. 1334/2024 does not establish a general automatic Monday-substitution rule for every public holiday falling on a weekend.
This matters in 2026 because Ethiopian Easter falls on Sunday, 12 April and Meskel falls on Sunday, 27 September. These remain the recognised holiday dates unless a separate authoritative decision establishes an additional day off.
Long Weekends in Ethiopia in 2026
Several 2026 holidays create extended breaks for employees whose normal rest days fall on Saturday and Sunday.
- Adwa Victory Day: Monday, 2 March creates a three-day weekend.
- Eid al-Fitr: Friday, 20 March creates a three-day weekend.
- Good Friday and Fasika: Good Friday falls on 10 April and Ethiopian Easter falls on Sunday, 12 April.
- International Workers’ Day: Friday, 1 May creates a three-day weekend.
- Ethiopian New Year: Friday, 11 September creates a three-day weekend.
These examples use only established public-holiday dates. An additional annual-leave day or employer-granted day off should not be described as an official public holiday.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the next public holiday in Ethiopia?
The next public holiday changes throughout the year. The live VisaBoards section near the top of this page displays the next upcoming holiday from the Ethiopia public-holiday database.
What is Ethiopia’s country code?
Ethiopia’s ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code is ET.
How many nationwide closure holiday dates does Ethiopia have in 2026?
The current legal framework produces 12 nationwide closure-holiday dates in 2026: four celebrated national holidays and eight religious holidays.
When is Ethiopian Christmas in 2026?
Ethiopian Christmas falls on Wednesday, 7 January 2026 and is a nationwide religious public holiday.
When is Timkat in Ethiopia in 2026?
Timkat, or Epiphany, falls on Monday, 19 January 2026.
When is Eid al-Fitr in Ethiopia in 2026?
Eid al-Fitr was celebrated nationwide on Friday, 20 March 2026.
When is Ethiopian Easter in 2026?
Ethiopian Easter, or Fasika, falls on Sunday, 12 April 2026. Good Friday was observed on Friday, 10 April.
When is Eid al-Adha in Ethiopia in 2026?
Eid al-Adha was celebrated nationwide on Wednesday, 27 May 2026.
When is Mawlid in Ethiopia in 2026?
Mawlid was observed on Monday, 24 August 2026.
Is Ethiopian Martyrs’ Day a day off?
Ethiopian Martyrs’ Day on 20 February is a memorial national holiday, but Article 5 states that governmental and non-governmental institutions remain open.
Is Ethiopian National Unity Day a public holiday?
9 December is legally recognised as a memorial national holiday. It is commemorated nationwide, but institutions remain open under the current proclamation.
Is 28 May still a nationwide closure holiday in Ethiopia?
28 May is not listed among the celebrated national holidays in the current Public Holidays Proclamation No. 1334/2024, so it should not be added to the nationwide closure-holiday database solely because it appears in older calendars.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Ethiopia
- Federal Negarit Gazette – Public Holidays Proclamation No. 1334/2024: establishes Ethiopia’s celebrated national holidays, memorial national holidays and religious holidays and explains which categories require institutional closure.
- Ethiopian News Agency – Eid al-Fitr 2026: confirms nationwide Eid al-Fitr celebrations on 20 March 2026.
- Ethiopian News Agency – Good Friday 2026: confirms Good Friday observance on 10 April 2026.
- Ethiopian News Agency – Ethiopian Easter 2026: confirms Fasika celebrations on 12 April 2026.
- Ethiopian News Agency – Eid al-Adha 2026: confirms Eid al-Adha celebrations on 27 May 2026.
- Ethiopian News Agency – Mawlid 2026: confirms the Mawlid observance on 24 August 2026.
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