New Year's Day National
New Year's Day on 1 January marks the start of the Gregorian calendar year. It is an official day off in Somalia, reflecting the Gregorian calendar's role in government and business.
Somalia Public Holidays 2028
Official Calendar
Complete Guide to Islamic Holidays, National Days & Work Schedule in Somalia
Somalia Public Holidays List 2028
| Holiday | Date | Day | Hijri date | Days off | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year's Day | Saturday | 4 Shaban 1449 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Eid al-Fitr Expected | Saturday | 1 Shawwal 1449 AH | 2 days (26 February – 27 February) | Religious | |
| Labour Day | Monday | 6 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Eid al-Adha Expected | Friday | 10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH | 2 days (5 May – 6 May) | Religious | |
| Islamic New Year Expected | Thursday | 1 Muharram 1450 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Ashura Expected | Saturday | 10 Muharram 1450 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Independence Day (26 June) | Monday | 3 Safar 1450 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Republic Day (1 July) | Saturday | 8 Safar 1450 AH | 1 day | National | |
| Prophet's Birthday Expected | Thursday | 12 Rabi al-Awwal 1450 AH | 1 day | Religious | |
| Isra and Mi'raj Expected | Thursday | 27 Rajab 1450 AH | 1 day | Religious |
Weekend days: Friday
Note: Religious holiday dates may vary based on moon sighting and could change by one day. Please check official sources for confirmation.
Long Weekends 2028
Plan your vacations! There are 1 long weekends this year where public holidays connect with regular weekend days.
-
3 days off 25 February – 27 February
Eid al-Fitr
Somalia Calendar 2028
Public holiday Weekend
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — New Year's Day | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 |
- 1 January New Year's Day
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 — Eid al-Fitr |
| 27 — Eid al-Fitr | 28 | 29 |
- 26 February Eid al-Fitr
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Labour Day | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 — Eid al-Adha | 6 — Eid al-Adha | |
| 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 |
| 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 — Islamic New Year | 26 | 27 |
| 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
- 1 May Labour Day
- 5 May Eid al-Adha
- 25 May Islamic New Year
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 — Ashura | ||||
| 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
| 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
| 25 | 26 — Independence Day (26 June) | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
- 3 June Ashura
- 26 June Independence Day (26 June)
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 — Republic Day (1 July) | ||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 |
| 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 |
| 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 |
| 30 | 31 |
- 1 July Republic Day (1 July)
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 — Prophet's Birthday | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 |
- 3 August Prophet's Birthday
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
| 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
| 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| 29 | 30 | 31 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |||
| 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 |
| 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 — Isra and Mi'raj | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 |
- 14 December Isra and Mi'raj
Religious Holidays
- Based on Islamic (Hijri) calendar
- May vary based on moon sighting
- Move about 11 days earlier each Gregorian year
National Holidays
- Fixed dates every year
- Celebrate historical events
- Usually single-day observances
2028 Holiday Summary
- Total public holidays
- 10
- National holidays
- 4
- Religious holidays
- 6
- Total days off
- 12
- Long weekends
- 1
- Weekend days
- Friday
About Public Holidays in Somalia
Somalia's public holiday calendar includes national commemorations and Islamic religious observances. Union Day on 1 July is the principal national holiday, marking the unification of Italian Somalia and British Somaliland in 1960 and the establishment of the Somali Republic. Islamic holidays follow the Hijri calendar and include Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, and the Prophet's Birthday, confirmed through moon sighting. Due to the complex security and political situation in parts of Somalia, the observance of public holidays may vary significantly across different regions and administrative areas. Somalia's economy relies on agriculture, pastoralism, remittances from the diaspora, and telecommunications, with a Saturday-to-Thursday working week and Friday as the official weekly day off (many offices close early on Thursday). Eid Al-Fitr, Eid Al-Adha, and the Prophet's Birthday dates shift annually according to the lunar Hijri calendar, with official dates determined by moon sighting.
Practical Information for Residents and Visitors
- Public holidays are declared by the federal government, with observance varying by region.
- Recognised holidays include Independence Day (26 June), Republic Day (1 July) and the major Islamic celebrations.
- Religious holiday dates depend on moon sighting confirmation and may shift by one day.
- Consulting local sources to verify conditions before travel is strongly recommended.
Official source: Government of Somalia
Public Holiday Details 2028
Eid al-Fitr Religious
Eid al-Fitr marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan and falls on 1 Shawwal in the Hijri calendar. Families attend the Eid prayer in the morning, visit relatives and exchange gifts, and children traditionally receive Eidiya money. The exact start is confirmed by moon sighting, so the date can move by one day. See Eid 2028 dates for all Arab countries.
Labour Day National
Labour Day on 1 May honours workers and the labour movement. In Somalia government offices, banks and most businesses close for the day.
Eid al-Adha Religious
Eid al-Adha, the Feast of the Sacrifice, begins on 10 Dhu al-Hijjah, the day after pilgrims stand at Mount Arafat during the Hajj. Muslims perform the Eid prayer and many sacrifice a sheep or other livestock, sharing the meat with family, neighbours and those in need. It is the longest public holiday of the year in most Arab countries. See Eid 2028 dates for all Arab countries.
Islamic New Year Religious
The Islamic New Year (Ras al-Sana al-Hijriya) falls on 1 Muharram and marks the start of a new Hijri year, commemorating the Prophet Muhammad's migration (Hijra) from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE. It is a quiet, reflective holiday rather than a festive one.
Ashura Religious
Ashura falls on 10 Muharram. Many Sunni Muslims fast on this day, and for Shia Muslims it is a major day of mourning commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussein at Karbala in 680 CE. In Somalia it is an official day off.
Independence Day (26 June) National
26 June marks the independence of British Somaliland in 1960, the first step towards the union that formed the Somali Republic days later.
Republic Day (1 July) National
1 July commemorates the 1960 union of the former British and Italian territories that created the Somali Republic.
Prophet's Birthday Religious
Al-Mawlid al-Nabawi commemorates the birth of the Prophet Muhammad on 12 Rabi al-Awwal. In Somalia it is an official holiday, often marked with religious lectures, poetry recitals in praise of the Prophet and traditional sweets.
Isra and Mi'raj Religious
Isra and Mi'raj, on 27 Rajab, commemorates the Prophet Muhammad's night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and his ascension to the heavens. In Somalia it is an official day off, sometimes moved to the start or end of the working week.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many public holidays does Somalia have in 2028?
Somalia has 10 public holidays in 2028: 4 national and 6 religious, adding up to about 12 days off.
When is Eid al-Fitr 2028 in Somalia?
Eid al-Fitr in Somalia is expected on Saturday, 26 February 2028 (1 Shawwal 1449 AH), with 2 days off (26 February to 27 February). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
When is Eid al-Adha 2028 in Somalia?
Eid al-Adha in Somalia is expected on Friday, 5 May 2028 (10 Dhu al-Hijjah 1449 AH), with 2 days off (5 May to 6 May). The date may shift by one day depending on moon sighting.
What are the weekend days in Somalia?
The official weekend in Somalia is Friday.
How many long weekends are there in Somalia in 2028?
There are 1 long weekends where public holidays connect with the weekend. The longest is 3 days, from 25 February to 27 February.