Public Holidays in Senegal 2026

Public holidays in Senegal in 2026 include fixed civic and Christian holidays, Islamic observances whose Gregorian dates depend on the religious calendar, the Grand Magal of Touba, and a special one-off public holiday declared after Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations victory. Religious dates should be checked against final Senegalese announcements because early calendars can differ from the dates ultimately observed.

Next Public Holiday in Senegal

Date	Day	Holiday	Status
November 1, 2026	Sunday	All Saints' Day	Confirmed

Date	Day	Holiday	Status
January 1, 2026	Thursday	New Year's Day	Confirmed
January 19, 2026	Monday	Special Public Holiday – AFCON 2025 Victory	Confirmed
March 20, 2026	Friday	Korité (Eid al-Fitr)	Confirmed
April 4, 2026	Saturday	Independence Day	Confirmed
April 6, 2026	Monday	Easter Monday	Confirmed
May 1, 2026	Friday	Labour Day	Confirmed
May 14, 2026	Thursday	Ascension Day	Confirmed
May 25, 2026	Monday	Whit Monday	Confirmed
May 28, 2026	Thursday	Tabaski (Eid al-Adha)	Confirmed
June 26, 2026	Friday	Tamkharit (Ashura)	Confirmed
August 2, 2026	Sunday	Grand Magal of Touba	Confirmed
August 15, 2026	Saturday	Assumption Day	Confirmed
August 26, 2026	Wednesday	Maouloud (Prophet Muhammad's Birthday)	Confirmed
November 1, 2026	Sunday	All Saints' Day	Confirmed
December 25, 2026	Friday	Christmas Day	Confirmed

How Public Holidays Work in Senegal

Senegal’s legal holiday framework is based principally on Law No. 74-52 of 4 November 1974 relating to the national day and legal holidays. The legislation recognizes Independence Day on 4 April and a mixture of civil, Muslim and Christian legal holidays, including New Year’s Day, Tamkharit, Labour Day, Maouloud, Korité, Tabaski, Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Assumption Day, All Saints’ Day and Christmas Day.

The Senegal Ministry of Labour’s worker manual reproduces the statutory provisions governing legal holidays and their treatment under Senegalese labour law.

The Grand Magal of Touba was subsequently added to Senegal’s legal holiday system by Law No. 2013-06 of 11 December 2013. The law makes the day of the Grand Magal a legal, non-working and paid holiday.

Religious Public Holidays in Senegal

Senegal recognizes both Muslim and Christian religious holidays. Christian holidays such as Easter Monday, Ascension Day, Whit Monday, Assumption Day, All Saints’ Day and Christmas are determined by the Christian calendar, while several Muslim holidays move through the Gregorian calendar from year to year.

Korité, Tabaski, Tamkharit, the Grand Magal and Maouloud require particular care when preparing an annual holiday calendar. Their dates may depend on the Islamic lunar calendar, moon-sighting decisions or announcements from Senegalese religious authorities. Early annual calendars can therefore contain estimated dates that are later superseded.

Korité in 2026

Korité, the Senegalese name commonly used for Eid al-Fitr, was observed on Friday, 20 March 2026. The Consulate General of Senegal in Paris confirmed its closure on that date for the celebration of Aïd El Fitr.

Tabaski in 2026

Tabaski, or Eid al-Adha, was observed by the majority of Senegalese Muslims on Thursday, 28 May 2026. Earlier calendars had shown 27 May, but the Commission nationale de concertation sur le croissant lunaire, or CONACOC, subsequently fixed the celebration for 28 May after the relevant lunar observation process. Final religious confirmation therefore takes priority over an earlier estimated calendar date.

Tamkharit in 2026

Tamkharit, associated with Ashura, was the public-holiday closure on Friday, 26 June 2026. An official notice from the Embassy of Senegal in Germany confirmed its closure on 26 June for Tamkharit. Religious festivities may begin the preceding evening, which can explain differences between references to the celebration night and the administrative holiday date.

Grand Magal of Touba in 2026

The Grand Magal of Touba fell on Sunday, 2 August 2026. It is a nationwide legal holiday under Law No. 2013-06. Senegalese authorities held the concluding official ceremony on Monday, 3 August, but that ceremony date should not be confused with the legal holiday itself.

Maouloud in 2026

Maouloud, also widely known in Senegal as Gamou or Mawlid, commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad. The 2026 observance took place during the night of Tuesday, 25 August to Wednesday, 26 August, and Senegalese diplomatic services treated Wednesday, 26 August as the holiday date.

Special AFCON Victory Public Holiday on 19 January 2026

Monday, 19 January 2026 was an additional one-off public holiday in Senegal. Following Senegal’s victory in the Africa Cup of Nations final, President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye declared the day non-working and paid. The Consulate General of Senegal in Paris published an official notice confirming the presidential declaration.

This date is included in the 2026 public-holiday dataset because it was a genuine national declaration rather than a recurring annual holiday.

What Happens When a Public Holiday Falls on a Sunday in Senegal?

Senegal does not have a general rule that automatically moves every Sunday public holiday to Monday. The statutory rule specifically states that when Korité or Tabaski falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is a holiday.

This distinction matters in 2026. The Grand Magal of Touba fell on Sunday, 2 August, but Monday, 3 August was not automatically substituted as a nationwide public holiday. Similarly, All Saints’ Day falls on Sunday, 1 November 2026, and the legislation does not automatically make Monday, 2 November a nationwide substitute holiday.

For that reason, neither 3 August nor 2 November has been added as a separate nationwide public-holiday date in the VisaBoards dataset.

Long Weekends in Senegal in 2026

For people who normally work Monday to Friday, several 2026 public holidays create natural three-day weekends without requiring an additional leave day.

19 January: the special AFCON victory holiday falls on Monday.
20 March: Korité falls on Friday.
6 April: Easter Monday follows the weekend; Independence Day also falls on Saturday, 4 April.
1 May: Labour Day falls on Friday.
25 May: Whit Monday falls on Monday.
26 June: Tamkharit falls on Friday.
25 December: Christmas Day falls on Friday.

Actual working arrangements can differ by employer, occupation and sector, so a public-holiday calendar should not be treated as a complete statement of an individual employee’s leave entitlement.

Are Public Holidays Paid in Senegal?

Senegalese law distinguishes between legal holidays and the rules governing whether particular days are non-working and paid. The legislation expressly provides paid, non-working status for specified holidays, including the national day, Tamkharit, the Grand Magal of Touba and Labour Day. Other employment consequences can depend on the applicable labour legislation, regulations or collective arrangements.

Workers and employers who need payroll or employment-law guidance should consult the Ministry of Labour’s official worker documentation rather than relying only on a holiday calendar.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many public holidays are there in Senegal in 2026?

The verified VisaBoards dataset contains 15 nationwide public-holiday calendar dates for Senegal in 2026. This total includes the special public holiday declared for 19 January after Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations victory and excludes dates that do not qualify as additional nationwide holidays.

What is the next public holiday in Senegal?

The next public holiday changes throughout the year. Use the Next Public Holiday in Senegal section near the top of this page for the current holiday name, date and countdown.

Are Senegal’s religious holiday dates the same every year?

No. Several Muslim public holidays follow the Islamic lunar calendar and move through the Gregorian calendar. Final Senegalese religious or official announcements can also differ by a day from dates published in early annual calendars.

Why is 19 January 2026 a public holiday in Senegal?

President Bassirou Diomaye Diakhar Faye declared Monday, 19 January 2026 a non-working and paid day following Senegal’s victory in the Africa Cup of Nations final. It was a special one-off national holiday.

Was Monday, 3 August 2026 a public holiday after the Grand Magal?

No. The 2026 Grand Magal of Touba fell on Sunday, 2 August. Senegalese law makes the day of the Grand Magal a legal holiday but does not automatically grant the following Monday as a substitute holiday.

Is Monday, 2 November 2026 a substitute holiday for All Saints’ Day?

No automatic nationwide substitute has been included. Senegal’s statutory Sunday-replacement provision specifically covers Korité and Tabaski rather than every legal holiday that falls on Sunday.

How are Islamic holiday dates confirmed in Senegal?

Islamic dates can be finalized through lunar observations and announcements involving Senegalese religious bodies such as CONACOC, followed by government, diplomatic or other official notices. Later authoritative confirmation should take priority over earlier estimated calendars.

Is the Grand Magal of Touba a nationwide public holiday?

Yes. Law No. 2013-06 of 11 December 2013 added the day of the Grand Magal of Touba to Senegal’s legal holidays and designated it as a non-working and paid day.

Next Public Holiday in Senegal