Public holidays in Benin 2026

14 nationwide public holidays in 2026.

Next nationwide holiday in Benin

See the list of nationwide holidays below.

Nationwide holidays 2026

Date	Weekday	Holiday	Local name
1 January Thursday	Thursday	New Year's Day Fête du Nouvel An	Fête du Nouvel An
8 January Thursday	Thursday	Vodoun Festival Fête annuelle des religions traditionnelles	Fête annuelle des religions traditionnelles
9 January Friday	Friday	Vodoun Festival Fête annuelle des religions traditionnelles	Fête annuelle des religions traditionnelles
20 March Friday	Friday	Eid al-Fitr Jour du Ramadan Estimated, may shift by 1-2 days until officially announced	Jour du Ramadan
6 April Monday	Monday	Easter Monday Lundi de Pâques	Lundi de Pâques
1 May Friday	Friday	Labor Day Fête du Travail	Fête du Travail
14 May Thursday	Thursday	Ascension Day Jour de l'Ascension	Jour de l'Ascension
25 May Monday	Monday	Pentecost Monday Lundi de Pentecôte	Lundi de Pentecôte
27 May Wednesday	Wednesday	Eid al-Adha Jour de la Tabaski Estimated, may shift by 1-2 days until officially announced	Jour de la Tabaski
1 August Saturday	Saturday	National Day Fête Nationale	Fête Nationale
15 August Saturday	Saturday	Assumption Day Jour de l'Assomption	Jour de l'Assomption
25 August Tuesday	Tuesday	Prophet's Birthday Journée Maouloud Estimated, may shift by 1-2 days until officially announced	Journée Maouloud
1 November Sunday	Sunday	All Saints' Day La Toussaint	La Toussaint
25 December Friday	Friday	Christmas Day Jour de Noël	Jour de Noël

Long weekends and bridge days 2026

Based on nationwide holidays and the weekend in Benin (Saturday and Sunday). Regional, local and group holidays are not included.

Long weekends

Thu 8 Jan – Sun 11 Jan · 4 days off
Vodoun Festival
Typically in Cotonou: high 30°C (86°F), low 23°C (73°F), rain on 0% of days
Fri 20 Mar – Sun 22 Mar · 3 days off
Eid al-Fitr (estimated)
Typically in Cotonou: high 30°C (86°F), low 26°C (79°F), rain on 70% of days
Sat 4 Apr – Mon 6 Apr · 3 days off
Easter Monday
Typically in Cotonou: high 30°C (86°F), low 26°C (79°F), rain on 79% of days
Fri 1 May – Sun 3 May · 3 days off
Labor Day
Typically in Cotonou: high 30°C (86°F), low 26°C (79°F), rain on 71% of days
Sat 23 May – Mon 25 May · 3 days off
Pentecost Monday
Typically in Cotonou: high 29°C (84°F), low 26°C (79°F), rain on 90% of days
Fri 25 Dec – Sun 27 Dec · 3 days off
Christmas Day
Typically in Cotonou: high 30°C (86°F), low 23°C (73°F), rain on 0% of days

Bridge days

Fri 2 Jan: take 1 day off, get 4 days in a row (Thu 1 Jan – Sun 4 Jan)
New Year's Day
Typically in Cotonou: high 30°C (86°F), low 23°C (73°F), rain on 7% of days
Fri 15 May: take 1 day off, get 4 days in a row (Thu 14 May – Sun 17 May)
Ascension Day
Typically in Cotonou: high 29°C (84°F), low 26°C (79°F), rain on 91% of days
Tue 26 May: take 1 day off, get 5 days in a row (Sat 23 May – Wed 27 May)
Pentecost Monday, Eid al-Adha (estimated)
Typically in Cotonou: high 29°C (84°F), low 26°C (79°F), rain on 90% of days
Mon 24 Aug: take 1 day off, get 4 days in a row (Sat 22 Aug – Tue 25 Aug)
Prophet's Birthday (estimated)
Typically in Cotonou: high 28°C (82°F), low 24°C (75°F), rain on 80% of days

Leave planner 2026

Choose how many leave days you can take for one break. The planner finds the breaks that give the most days off in a row around nationwide holidays and weekends, and marks the leave days on the calendar below.

Leave days per break: 3

Longest break with up to 3 leave days: Sat 3 Jan – Sun 11 Jan — 9 days off for 3 leave days (Mon 5 Jan, Tue 6 Jan, Wed 7 Jan).Show on calendar ↓

Take 1 day off (Fri 2 Jan) get 4 days in a rowThu 1 Jan – Sun 4 Jan · New Year's DayShow on calendar ↓
Take 1 day off (Wed 7 Jan) get 5 days in a rowWed 7 Jan – Sun 11 Jan · Vodoun FestivalShow on calendar ↓
Take 1 day off (Thu 19 Mar) get 4 days in a rowThu 19 Mar – Sun 22 Mar · Eid al-FitrShow on calendar ↓
Take 1 day off (Fri 3 Apr) get 4 days in a rowFri 3 Apr – Mon 6 Apr · Easter MondayShow on calendar ↓
Take 1 day off (Thu 30 Apr) get 4 days in a rowThu 30 Apr – Sun 3 May · Labor DayShow on calendar ↓
Take 1 day off (Tue 26 May) get 5 days in a rowSat 23 May – Wed 27 May · Pentecost Monday, Eid al-AdhaShow on calendar ↓