The Federal Government is expected to declare Friday, December 25, and Saturday, December 26, 2026, as public holidays to mark the Christmas and Boxing Day celebrations.
The two holidays will be the final federally recognised public holidays on Nigeria’s 2026 calendar, according to a report by Legit.ng.
Christmas Day, observed on December 25, is celebrated by Christians around the world to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Boxing Day follows on December 26 and is also recognised as a public holiday in Nigeria.
The dates are already listed on Nigeria’s official 2026 public holiday calendar maintained by the Nigerian High Commission in Canada.
Earlier in the year, the Federal Government declared public holidays for major religious and national events, including Eid-el-Fitr, Easter, Workers’ Day, Eid-el-Kabir, Democracy Day, Eid-ul-Mawlid and Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary.
The government also declared Thursday, October 1, 2026, a public holiday to mark Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.
With Christmas and Boxing Day approaching, Nigerians are expected to begin making plans for the end-of-year festivities, travel and family gatherings.
The Federal Government is expected to issue its formal Christmas and Boxing Day holiday announcement through the Ministry of Interior ahead of the celebrations.
