Public holidays
Benin: 14 public holiday dates in 2026 (14 days off) and 14 in 2027 (14 days off), with 250 working days in 2026 and 253 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday 1 January 2026 | 2026-W01 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Thursday 8 January 2026 | 2026-W02 | Vodoun Festival | Yes |
| Friday 9 January 2026 | 2026-W02 | Vodoun Festival | Yes |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Monday 6 April 2026 | 2026-W15 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Thursday 14 May 2026 | 2026-W20 | Ascension Day | Yes |
| Monday 25 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Pentecost Monday | Yes |
| Wednesday 27 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Saturday 1 August 2026 | 2026-W31 | National Day | Yes |
| Saturday 15 August 2026 | 2026-W33 | Assumption Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 25 August 2026 | 2026-W35 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Sunday 1 November 2026 | 2026-W44 | All Saints' Day | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friday 1 January 2027 | 2026-W53 | New Year's Day | Yes |
| Thursday 7 January 2027 | 2027-W01 | Vodoun Festival | Yes |
| Friday 8 January 2027 | 2027-W01 | Vodoun Festival | Yes |
| Tuesday 9 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Monday 29 March 2027 | 2027-W13 | Easter Monday | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | Labor Day | Yes |
| Thursday 6 May 2027 | 2027-W18 | Ascension Day | Yes |
| Sunday 16 May 2027 | 2027-W19 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Monday 17 May 2027 | 2027-W20 | Pentecost Monday | Yes |
| Sunday 1 August 2027 | 2027-W30 | National Day | Yes |
| Saturday 14 August 2027 | 2027-W32 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Sunday 15 August 2027 | 2027-W32 | Assumption Day | Yes |
| Monday 1 November 2027 | 2027-W44 | All Saints' Day | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eid al-Fitr | Friday 20 March 2026 | Tuesday 9 March 2027 | −11 days |
| Eid al-Adha | Wednesday 27 May 2026 | Sunday 16 May 2027 | −11 days |
| Prophet's Birthday | Tuesday 25 August 2026 | Saturday 14 August 2027 | −11 days |
| Easter Monday | Monday 6 April 2026 | Monday 29 March 2027 | −8 days, changes month |
| Ascension Day | Thursday 14 May 2026 | Thursday 6 May 2027 | −8 days |
| Pentecost Monday | Monday 25 May 2026 | Monday 17 May 2027 | −8 days |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19 | 18 | −1 |
| February | 20 | 20 | 0 |
| March | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| April | 21 | 22 | +1 |
| May | 17 | 19 | +2 |
| June | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| July | 23 | 22 | −1 |
| August | 20 | 22 | +2 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| November | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| December | 22 | 23 | +1 |
| Q1 | 60 | 59 | −1 |
| Q2 | 60 | 63 | +3 |
| Q3 | 65 | 66 | +1 |
| Q4 | 65 | 65 | 0 |
| Year | 250 | 253 | +3 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Sunday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
The first day of the calendar year in the Gregorian calendar, 1 January. Cultures and religions that follow a lunisolar or lunar calendar celebrate their New Year at other points of the year. Japan celebrates New Year on 1 January, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, instead of with the Chinese calendar that was in use until 1873.
At work: Fine to mention, and a natural moment to wish colleagues well.
Vodoun Day, on the second Friday in January, follows National Vodún Day, which Benin established on 10 January in 1993. The Beninese government has made a concerted effort to encourage Vodún-themed tourism.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of breaking the fast", is the first of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, and marks the end of the month-long, dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan. It begins with a communal prayer and is followed by visits to relatives, giving gifts and sharing meals.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Its date follows the lunar calendar and shifts every year, so keep plans flexible. During Ramadan itself, colleagues who fast may prefer meetings earlier in the day and not over lunch.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and is the most important feast of the Christian year. Families go to church and share a festive meal, and in many places Easter eggs are decorated and broken together as a symbol of the empty tomb. Easter is a moveable feast, with its date set by a lunisolar calendar. Easter Monday, the day after, is a public holiday in more than 50 predominantly Christian countries.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Colleagues may be away for the whole long weekend.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
Ascension Day is a Christian feast commemorating Jesus's ascension into heaven. It is held 39 days after Easter Sunday, which is the 40th day of Easter, so it always falls on a Thursday.
At work: Where it is a holiday, everyone is off on Thursday.
Whit Monday is the day after Pentecost, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit on Jesus's followers on the 50th day after Easter. Pentecost is a Sunday, so the holiday is the Monday that follows.
At work: A long weekend. Plan around slower replies.
Eid al-Adha, the "festival of the sacrifice", is the second of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son at God's command. The Eid prayer is held in the morning, followed by the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal, and celebrations carry on for the three following days.
At work: Very welcome to mention. As with Eid al-Fitr, the date follows the lunar calendar, so keep plans flexible.
Marks 1 August 1960, when Benin (then the Republic of Dahomey) became independent from France.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
The Assumption of Mary is the Catholic dogma that Mary, at the end of her earthly life, was taken body and soul into heaven. It is celebrated on 15 August. The Eastern Churches have an equivalent belief, the Dormition.
At work: Fine to mention. A public holiday in many Catholic countries.
Mawlid is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, on 12 Rabi' al-awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. It was first publicly celebrated by Gökböri, a deputy of Saladin, and the Ottomans declared it an official holiday. Celebrants recite religious poetry in praise of Muhammad.
At work: Respectful to mention. Not every colleague marks it in the same way.
A Christian holy day celebrated in honour of all the saints of the Church, on 1 November in the Catholic Church. It is followed by All Souls' Day on 2 November. Where it is a public holiday, cemetery rituals such as offerings of flowers, candles and prayers for the graves of loved ones often take place. The Eastern Orthodox Church celebrates it on the first Sunday after Pentecost.
At work: Fine to mention, but it is a reflective day about remembering loved ones, not a festive one, so avoid "Happy All Saints' Day".
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. Eastern Christian Churches that follow the older Julian calendar celebrate it on 25 December of that calendar, which currently corresponds to 7 January. It is a public holiday in many countries, and many non-Christians celebrate it culturally too.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Plan important meetings before the break. If you're unsure whether someone celebrates it, "Happy holidays" is a safe choice.
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