What Are The Public Holidays in Cameroon in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Cameroon (2026)

Cameroon observes a mix of national, religious and commemorative public holidays. The table below lists the main nationwide public holidays expected in 2026, including approximate dates for Islamic holidays, which may shift slightly based on the official lunar calendar.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, under Cameroonian labour practice, employees are generally entitled to a paid day off on statutory public holidays that fall on a normal working day. The Labour Code and implementing regulations treat public holidays as rest days, and most employers must maintain normal pay for eligible employees who are not required to work.

Where a public holiday falls on a Sunday, it is commonly observed on the following Monday, and employees who would normally work that Monday are usually granted a paid day off. If your company operates a six‑day week or uses rotating shifts, you should align your internal policy with local practice and clearly state how substitute days are handled.

Part‑time employees are typically entitled to paid public holidays on a pro‑rata basis when the holiday falls on a day they would ordinarily work. If a part‑time employee does not normally work on the day on which the holiday falls, there is usually no additional entitlement unless your contract or company policy is more generous.

When employees are required to work on a public holiday, they are generally entitled to both their normal pay and additional compensation, often in the form of premium pay or compensatory time off. The exact rate and form of compensation should be set out in employment contracts, collective agreements or internal policies, and you should always check any applicable sector‑specific rules or collective bargaining agreements.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

Failure to respect public holiday rules in Cameroon can expose your company to administrative sanctions and potential civil claims. Labour inspectors, operating under the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, are empowered to review working time, pay records and holiday practices and can order corrective measures where they find non‑compliance.

Non‑compliance may result in fines, back‑pay orders for unpaid public holiday work, and, in serious or repeated cases, additional penalties under the Labour Code. Employees can also bring claims before the competent labour courts seeking payment of outstanding wages, premium pay for work performed on public holidays, and in some cases damages.

Common employer mistakes include treating public holidays as unpaid leave, failing to provide substitute rest days when holidays are worked, and not documenting agreements on premium pay or compensatory time off. To reduce risk, you should maintain clear written policies, keep accurate attendance and payroll records, and ensure local managers understand how public holidays must be handled.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

In Cameroon, public holidays interact with general working time and overtime rules rather than creating a completely separate regime. Hours worked on a public holiday typically count as working time and may attract both public‑holiday premium pay and overtime premiums if they push an employee beyond the normal daily or weekly limits set by law or by contract.

Where an employee works on a public holiday instead of taking a paid rest day, employers often provide a higher hourly rate for those hours, or grant a paid day off in lieu on another date, in addition to any overtime premium that may be due. The exact structure can vary by sector and collective agreement, so you should confirm the applicable rules for your workforce and reflect them in your employment contracts and payroll settings.

Because Islamic holidays such as Eid al‑Fitr and Eid al‑Adha are based on lunar observations, you may need to adjust schedules at short notice. Building some flexibility into rosters and overtime planning helps you avoid accidental breaches of working time limits when holidays are confirmed.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing Cameroonian public holidays from abroad can be tricky, especially when you are juggling shifting Islamic dates, substitute days and different expectations across regions and sites. Playroll helps you stay compliant without needing to become a local labour law expert.

When you hire in Cameroon through Playroll, our platform automatically applies the correct public holiday calendar, updates for confirmed Eid dates and ensures that paid leave, premium pay and substitute days are reflected accurately in payroll. You set your company’s policy within the bounds of Cameroonian law, and we handle the calculations and documentation.

Playroll’s in‑country experts monitor legal and practical changes, so if public holiday rules or interpretations shift, your settings and payslips stay aligned with local expectations. That means fewer disputes with employees, cleaner audits and less time spent chasing down local advice.

Whether you are building your first team in Cameroon or scaling an existing operation, Playroll gives you a single, reliable system for managing public holidays, annual leave and overtime across all your locations, so your managers can focus on performance and culture rather than compliance admin.