Public Holidays in Somalia 2026 – Islamic & National Holidays
Public holidays in Somalia in 2026 include fixed national commemorations and religious holidays based on the Islamic calendar. Some Islamic holidays require particular care because their Gregorian dates may depend on the Hijri calendar and official confirmation. The schedule below is generated from the VisaBoards holiday database so that verified dates and status changes can be maintained centrally.
Next Public Holiday in Somalia
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 12, 2026 | Monday | National Flag Day | Official Public Holiday |
Public Holidays in Somalia 2026
| Date | Day | Holiday | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 20, 2026 | Friday | Eid al-Fitr | Confirmed |
| May 1, 2026 | Friday | Labour Day | Official Public Holiday |
| May 15, 2026 | Friday | SYL Commemoration Day | Official Public Holiday |
| May 27, 2026 | Wednesday | Eid al-Adha | Confirmed |
| June 26, 2026 | Friday | Independence Day | Official Public Holiday |
| July 1, 2026 | Wednesday | Republic Day | Official Public Holiday |
| October 12, 2026 | Monday | National Flag Day | Official Public Holiday |
National Holidays in Somalia
The Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia maintains a current National Holidays list covering Labour Day, SYL Commemoration Day, Independence Day, Republic Day and National Flag Day.
These fixed commemorations should be distinguished from religious holidays whose dates follow the Islamic calendar. This distinction is important because a Gregorian date for a national commemoration can remain fixed from year to year, while the Gregorian date corresponding to an Islamic observance changes.
Independence Day and Republic Day
Somalia recognizes two closely related national commemorations in late June and early July. Independence Day on 26 June marks the independence of the northern regions in 1960. Republic Day on 1 July commemorates the formation of the Somali Republic following the independence of the southern regions and union of the two territories.
SYL Commemoration Day
SYL Commemoration Day recognizes the Somali Youth League, which played an important role in Somalia’s independence movement. The current Presidency National Holidays list places the commemoration on 15 May.
National Flag Day
National Flag Day commemorates the Somali flag, which was first adopted on 12 October 1954. The current Presidency holiday list recognizes 12 October as National Flag Day.
Religious Public Holidays in Somalia
Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognizes Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Islamic New Year and the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday among the country’s religious holiday observances.
Eid al-Fitr
Eid al-Fitr begins on 1 Shawwal and marks the end of Ramadan. For 2026, Federal Government reporting confirms that Eid al-Fitr prayers and celebrations took place on 20 March.
Eid al-Adha
Eid al-Adha falls on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah in the Islamic calendar. Official Federal Government reporting identifies 27 May 2026 as the first day of the Eid celebration in Somalia.
Islamic New Year
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes Islamic New Year as an official holiday in Somalia and states that employees in both the public and private sectors receive the day off. Because the holiday follows the Hijri calendar, VisaBoards does not assign a 2026 Gregorian date unless sufficiently authoritative year-specific confirmation is available.
Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recognizes 12 Rabi’ al-Awwal as the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday. Different calendar providers can produce different Gregorian dates for lunar observances, so the VisaBoards database keeps the 2026 Gregorian date unconfirmed until an authoritative Somalia-specific source supports it.
Why Some Somalia Holiday Calendars Show Different Dates
Somalia holiday calendars can differ because secondary sources may use calculated Islamic dates, include additional religious observances, treat embassy closure calendars as national calendars, or combine nationwide holidays with Somaliland-specific dates.
For this reason, VisaBoards gives priority to current Federal Government sources and does not automatically copy every date listed by commercial holiday calendars.
Somali National Army Day and the Official-Source Conflict
Somali National Army Day on 12 April illustrates why holiday classification requires more than finding a date on a single official website. The Embassy of Somalia in the United States lists Somali National Army Day among Somalia’s national public holidays, but the current Presidency National Holidays list does not include it.
Because those official sources are not fully aligned, 12 April is not included in the primary VisaBoards nationwide public-holiday dataset unless a more directly applicable government notice resolves its status.
Somaliland-Specific Holidays
Some holiday websites combine Somalia-wide dates with observances specific to Somaliland. Dates associated specifically with Somaliland, including the 18 May restoration observance, should not be presented as nationwide Somalia public holidays in the main national schedule.
This distinction is especially important when comparing commercial calendars, because a combined list can make a regional observance appear to apply throughout Somalia.
How Religious Holiday Dates Are Verified in Somalia
Islamic holidays move through the Gregorian calendar because they follow the Hijri lunar calendar. Calendar calculations can provide an expected date, but an expected date is not automatically the same as a confirmed government holiday date.
VisaBoards therefore distinguishes between an estimated calendar date and a date supported by Somalia-specific official evidence. When reliable Federal Government reporting confirms that an Eid celebration occurred on a particular day, the database can record that date as confirmed. Where equivalent year-specific confirmation cannot be located, the date remains unconfirmed rather than being presented as final.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the next public holiday in Somalia?
The next public holiday changes during the year. Use the Next Public Holiday section near the top of this page for the current holiday name, date and countdown.
How many public holidays are confirmed in Somalia in 2026?
The current VisaBoards dataset contains seven nationwide holiday dates with exact 2026 Gregorian dates, plus Islamic New Year and the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday as recognized religious holidays whose 2026 Gregorian dates remain unconfirmed in the database. The total may change if additional authoritative government announcements become available.
Are Islamic holiday dates the same every year in Somalia?
No. Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Islamic New Year and the Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday follow the Islamic calendar, so their Gregorian dates move from year to year.
Is Islamic New Year a public holiday in Somalia?
Yes. Somalia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes Islamic New Year as an official holiday and states that employees in both the public and private sectors receive the day off.
Is Somali National Army Day a nationwide public holiday?
Its classification is not sufficiently clear for inclusion in the primary nationwide dataset. An official Somali embassy page lists 12 April as Somali National Army Day, while the current Presidency National Holidays list omits it. VisaBoards therefore excludes it until stronger official evidence resolves the discrepancy.
Is Somaliland’s 18 May observance a nationwide Somalia public holiday?
No. Somaliland-specific observances should not be classified as nationwide Somalia public holidays in the national VisaBoards schedule.
Why do some websites list more Somalia public holidays?
Some calendars include calculated Islamic dates, regional observances, embassy closure dates or holidays whose nationwide classification is unclear. VisaBoards uses a more conservative approach and prioritizes directly applicable official evidence.
Who provides official information about public holidays in Somalia?
Relevant information may be published by Federal Government authorities including the Office of the President, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Labour, the Ministry of Information and other ministries issuing holiday-specific announcements.
Official Sources for Public Holidays in Somalia
- Office of the President of the Federal Republic of Somalia: current National Holidays list used to verify Somalia’s fixed national commemorations.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation: official Public Holidays information covering major religious holidays and their Hijri-calendar basis.
- Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism: Federal Government reporting used to confirm Eid al-Fitr in 2026.
- Ministry of Internal Security: Federal Government reporting identifying the first day of the 2026 Eid al-Adha celebration.
- Embassy of the Federal Republic of Somalia in the United States: consulted when reviewing the unresolved classification of Somali National Army Day.
