Papua New Guinea’s public holidays in 2026 include New Year’s Day, a national remembrance holiday for founding Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, the four-day Easter holiday period, King’s Birthday, National Remembrance Day, the National Day of Prayer and Repentance, Independence Day, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The official schedule is primarily established through National Executive Council decisions, National Gazette notices and Department of Personnel Management circular instructions.
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Next Public Holiday in Papua New Guinea
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Confirmed |
Public Holidays in Papua New Guinea 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day | Confirmed |
| February 26, 2026 | Thursday | National Remembrance Day of the Late Former Prime Minister, Great Grand Chief Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Thomas Somare | Confirmed |
| April 3, 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | Confirmed |
| April 4, 2026 | Saturday | Easter Saturday | Confirmed |
| April 5, 2026 | Sunday | Easter Sunday | Confirmed |
| April 6, 2026 | Monday | Easter Monday | Confirmed |
| June 17, 2026 | Wednesday | King’s Birthday | Confirmed |
| July 23, 2026 | Thursday | National Remembrance Day | Confirmed |
| August 26, 2026 | Wednesday | National Day of Prayer and Repentance | Confirmed |
| September 16, 2026 | Wednesday | Independence Day | Confirmed |
| December 25, 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Confirmed |
| December 26, 2026 | Saturday | Boxing Day | Confirmed |
How Public Holidays Are Confirmed in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea’s Department of Personnel Management issues circular instructions advising government departments, provincial administrations, public authorities and public servants of approved nationwide public holidays.
Circular Instruction No. 12 of 2025, dated September 30, 2025, states that the National Executive Council, statutory instruments signed by the Governor-General and NEC Chairman, and National Gazette No. 832 of August 21, 2025 approved the listed dates as public holidays throughout Papua New Guinea for 2026.
Later circular instructions may clarify or supersede information in the initial annual schedule. For this reason, the latest directly applicable government declaration should be used when an annual calendar and a later circular differ.
King’s Birthday Public Holiday in 2026
King’s Birthday is observed as a national public holiday on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
The original annual DPM circular contained an inconsistent King’s Birthday entry showing April 17 while describing the day as Wednesday. The Department of Personnel Management subsequently issued Circular Instruction No. 13 of 2026 specifically declaring Wednesday, June 17, 2026 as the public holiday commemorating the official birthday of His Majesty King Charles III.
The official Papua New Guinea Investment Promotion Authority business calendar also lists King’s Birthday on June 17, 2026. The later government circular therefore provides the appropriate date for the 2026 national holiday schedule.
National Remembrance Day for Sir Michael Somare
Thursday, February 26, 2026 is a national public holiday commemorating the late former Prime Minister and founding father of Papua New Guinea, Great Grand Chief Rt. Hon. Sir Michael Thomas Somare.
The date appears in the annual 2026 public holiday schedule and was separately addressed in Department of Personnel Management Circular Instruction No. 03 of 2026 as an approved public holiday commemorating Sir Michael Somare.
This holiday is separate from Papua New Guinea’s National Remembrance Day in July. The two dates should therefore remain separate entries in the national holiday database.
Easter Public Holidays in Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea officially observes four consecutive Easter public holidays in 2026: Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.
This four-day period is significant for holiday planning because all four calendar dates are included in the government’s nationwide public holiday schedule rather than only the Friday and Monday commonly observed in some countries.
In 2026, the official Easter holiday period runs from Friday, April 3 through Monday, April 6.
National Remembrance Day
National Remembrance Day is observed on Thursday, July 23, 2026. The Department of Personnel Management reconfirmed the date in Circular Instruction No. 14 of 2026.
The July observance is distinct from the February holiday dedicated specifically to the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. Keeping the two names clearly differentiated helps avoid confusion in public holiday calendars.
National Day of Prayer and Repentance
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 is observed as the National Day of Prayer and Repentance. The Department of Personnel Management issued Circular Instruction No. 17 of 2026 concerning its observance.
Some calendars shorten the name to National Repentance Day or National Day of Repentance. The later DPM circular uses the wording National Day of Prayer and Repentance, which is the clearer terminology for the 2026 observance.
Independence Day in Papua New Guinea
Independence Day is observed nationwide on Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Papua New Guinea marks its independence anniversary on September 16, and the Department of Personnel Management reconfirmed the 2026 public holiday through Circular Instruction No. 20 of 2026.
September 15 and September 17 should not be added to the primary nationwide 2026 public holiday schedule unless a separate official national declaration establishes those dates as public holidays.
Christmas and Boxing Day Holidays
Christmas Day falls on Friday, December 25, 2026, while Boxing Day is officially listed on Saturday, December 26, 2026 in the Department of Personnel Management annual public holiday circular.
Some institutional calendars may close on Monday, December 28 in lieu of Boxing Day. An office-specific closure or institutional substitute date should not automatically be classified as an additional nationwide public holiday.
For the national public holiday database, December 26 remains the official Boxing Day date unless a later Papua New Guinea government declaration establishes a nationwide substitute holiday.
Long Holiday Breaks in Papua New Guinea in 2026
The Easter period creates the clearest extended national holiday break in 2026. Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday form four consecutive public holiday dates from April 3 to April 6.
Christmas Day falls on Friday, December 25. Boxing Day follows on Saturday, December 26, and Sunday, December 27 forms part of the ordinary weekend for many workers, creating a three-day calendar break for workplaces operating on a standard Monday-to-Friday schedule.
Other holidays such as King’s Birthday and Independence Day fall midweek in 2026 and do not by themselves create a standard three-day weekend.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many nationwide public holiday dates are there in Papua New Guinea in 2026?
The verified 2026 national schedule contains 12 public holiday dates, counting each Easter holiday date separately and including the February remembrance holiday for Sir Michael Somare.
What is the next public holiday in Papua New Guinea?
The next public holiday changes during the year. The Next Public Holiday section above uses the VisaBoards holiday database to show the current upcoming national public holiday.
When is King’s Birthday in Papua New Guinea in 2026?
King’s Birthday is observed on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. DPM Circular Instruction No. 13 of 2026 specifically declares June 17 as the public holiday.
Why do some 2026 calendars show a different King’s Birthday date?
The original DPM annual circular contained an inconsistent April entry. A later Department of Personnel Management circular specifically declared June 17, 2026 as King’s Birthday, so the later official declaration should be followed.
Is February 26, 2026 a public holiday in Papua New Guinea?
Yes. February 26 is an approved nationwide public holiday commemorating the late first Prime Minister and founding father, Great Grand Chief Sir Michael Thomas Somare.
Are Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday public holidays in Papua New Guinea?
Yes. Papua New Guinea’s official 2026 government schedule lists Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday as four individual public holiday dates.
When is National Remembrance Day in Papua New Guinea in 2026?
National Remembrance Day is Thursday, July 23, 2026. This is separate from the February 26 remembrance holiday honouring Sir Michael Somare.
When is the National Day of Prayer and Repentance in 2026?
The National Day of Prayer and Repentance is observed on Wednesday, August 26, 2026.
When is Papua New Guinea Independence Day in 2026?
Independence Day is Wednesday, September 16, 2026. The date was reconfirmed by Department of Personnel Management Circular Instruction No. 20 of 2026.
Is December 28, 2026 a nationwide Boxing Day substitute holiday?
The official DPM annual national holiday schedule lists Boxing Day on Saturday, December 26, 2026. Some institutions may use December 28 as an in-lieu closure, but that does not by itself establish December 28 as a separate nationwide public holiday.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Papua New Guinea
- Department of Personnel Management – Circular Instruction No. 12 of 2025: the principal annual government schedule for Papua New Guinea public holidays in 2026.
- Department of Personnel Management – Circular Instructions: includes the later 2026 circulars for Sir Michael Somare’s remembrance holiday, King’s Birthday, National Remembrance Day, the National Day of Prayer and Repentance and Independence Day.
- Papua New Guinea Investment Promotion Authority – Business Calendar: independently confirms key 2026 dates, including the June 17 King’s Birthday holiday.
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