Guinea-Bissau’s public holidays in 2026 are governed principally by Decree No. 1/2023, which defines the country’s mandatory national holidays. The calendar includes fixed national dates as well as Easter and the Islamic celebrations marking the end of Ramadan and Tabaski. Some other important dates are officially treated as service-dispensation days rather than nationwide public holidays.
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Next Public Holiday in Guinea-Bissau
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas | Official Public Holiday |
Public Holidays in Guinea-Bissau 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year | Official Public Holiday |
| January 20, 2026 | Tuesday | National Heroes and Combatants for the Freedom of the Homeland Day | Official Public Holiday |
| March 20, 2026 | Friday | End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr / Korité) | Confirmed |
| April 5, 2026 | Sunday | Easter | Official Public Holiday |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | International Workers’ Day | Official Public Holiday |
| May 27, 2026 | Wednesday | Tabaski (Eid al-Adha) | Confirmed |
| September 24, 2026 | Thursday | National Independence Day | Official Public Holiday |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas | Official Public Holiday |
How Public Holidays Work in Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau’s current national holiday framework is established by Decree No. 1/2023, published in the Official Gazette on 18 January 2023. The decree replaced the previous holiday framework and reduced the number of dates classified as mandatory nationwide public holidays.
Under the decree, mandatory national holidays require the cessation of work in both the public and private sectors, except for activities that cannot be interrupted because of their nature.
The official list covers New Year, National Heroes and Combatants for the Freedom of the Homeland Day, International Workers’ Day, National Independence Day, Christmas, Easter, the end-of-Ramadan celebration and Tabaski.
Religious Public Holidays in Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau’s national holiday system recognises both Christian and Islamic celebrations. Easter and Christmas are Christian public holidays, while the celebration marking the end of Ramadan and Tabaski are Muslim public holidays.
End of Ramadan (Eid al-Fitr / Korité)
The end-of-Ramadan holiday is one of the mandatory national holidays established by Decree No. 1/2023. Because the Islamic calendar is lunar, its Gregorian date varies from year to year and requires confirmation for the relevant year.
For 2026, the Government of Guinea-Bissau declared Friday, 20 March a national public holiday for the celebration marking the end of Ramadan. The declaration applied to both public-sector and private-sector activities, except essential services that could not be interrupted.
Easter
Easter is listed as a mandatory national holiday under Decree No. 1/2023. In 2026, Easter Sunday falls on 5 April.
Good Friday is treated differently under the current legal framework. It is a service-dispensation day rather than one of the mandatory nationwide public holidays listed in Article 1 of the decree.
Tabaski
Tabaski, also known internationally as Eid al-Adha, is another mandatory national holiday under Guinea-Bissau’s current holiday legislation. The date follows the Islamic lunar calendar and therefore varies between Gregorian years.
In 2026, Tabaski was celebrated on Wednesday, 27 May. Official national news reporting recorded Muslim communities across Guinea-Bissau observing the celebration on that Wednesday.
Good Friday in Guinea-Bissau
Good Friday is not classified in Decree No. 1/2023 in the same category as Guinea-Bissau’s mandatory national public holidays. Instead, Article 2 establishes Good Friday as a day on which specified public-sector workers are entitled to a dispensation from service.
For 2026, the government granted a service dispensation on Friday, 3 April for Good Friday. The official communication also made clear that Monday, 6 April was a normal working day.
Is International Women’s Day a Public Holiday in Guinea-Bissau?
No. International Women’s Day on 8 March is no longer classified as a mandatory national public holiday under Decree No. 1/2023.
The law instead gives public employees in the central and local administration, public institutes and public companies a right to a service dispensation on 8 March. This distinction means the date should not be added to the main nationwide public-holiday database as though it were equivalent to New Year, Independence Day or Christmas.
Other Service-Dispensation Days
Decree No. 1/2023 distinguishes several service-dispensation dates from national public holidays. The specified dates include:
- 8 March – International Women’s Day
- Good Friday
- 2 November
- 24 December
- 31 December
These dates should not automatically be classified as nationwide mandatory public holidays because their legal treatment differs from the holidays listed in Article 1 of the decree.
Is Pidjiguiti Day on 3 August a Public Holiday?
Pidjiguiti Day remains an important historical commemoration in Guinea-Bissau, but 3 August is not included among the mandatory national public holidays established by Decree No. 1/2023.
For 2026, the Ministry responsible for public administration specifically informed public employees, private-sector workers, employers and the general public that Monday, 3 August was a normal working day throughout the national territory.
National Independence Day in Guinea-Bissau
National Independence Day is observed on 24 September and is one of Guinea-Bissau’s fixed mandatory national public holidays. The date commemorates the country’s declaration of independence in 1973.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the next public holiday in Guinea-Bissau?
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 current Guinea-Bissau public-holiday database.
What is Guinea-Bissau’s country code?
Guinea-Bissau’s ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code is GW.
How many nationwide public-holiday dates are in Guinea-Bissau in 2026?
The verified VisaBoards dataset contains eight nationwide mandatory public-holiday dates for Guinea-Bissau in 2026. Service-dispensation days such as Good Friday and 8 March are not counted as separate nationwide mandatory public holidays.
When is Eid al-Fitr in Guinea-Bissau in 2026?
The Government declared Friday, 20 March 2026 a national public holiday for the celebration marking the end of Ramadan, commonly associated with Eid al-Fitr or Korité.
When is Easter in Guinea-Bissau in 2026?
Easter falls on Sunday, 5 April 2026 and is one of the mandatory national holidays recognised under Decree No. 1/2023.
Is Good Friday a national public holiday in Guinea-Bissau?
Good Friday is legally treated as a service-dispensation day rather than one of the mandatory national holidays listed in Article 1 of Decree No. 1/2023. In 2026, the dispensation fell on Friday, 3 April.
Is Easter Monday a public holiday in Guinea-Bissau?
No additional Easter Monday public holiday was declared for 2026. The government specifically stated that Monday, 6 April 2026 was a normal working day.
When is Tabaski in Guinea-Bissau in 2026?
Tabaski, or Eid al-Adha, was celebrated on Wednesday, 27 May 2026.
Is 8 March a public holiday in Guinea-Bissau?
No. Under the current legal framework, 8 March is a service-dispensation day for specified public-sector workers rather than a mandatory nationwide public holiday.
Is 3 August a national public holiday in Guinea-Bissau?
No. Although 3 August commemorates the Pidjiguiti martyrs, the government stated that 3 August 2026 was a normal working day throughout Guinea-Bissau.
Who determines public holidays in Guinea-Bissau?
The national legal framework is established by the Government through legislation such as Decree No. 1/2023. Movable religious dates may then require government confirmation for the relevant year.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Guinea-Bissau
- Official Gazette of Guinea-Bissau – Decree No. 1/2023: establishes mandatory national public holidays and separate service-dispensation days.
- Agência de Notícias da Guiné – End of Ramadan 2026: confirms the government declaration of 20 March 2026 as a national public holiday.
- Agência de Notícias da Guiné – Good Friday 2026: confirms the 3 April service dispensation and that 6 April was a normal working day.
- Agência de Notícias da Guiné – Tabaski 2026: confirms the Wednesday, 27 May observance of Tabaski.
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