What Are The Public Holidays in Niger in 2026?

List of Public Holidays in Niger (2026)

Below is an overview of the main public holidays observed across Niger in 2026 so you can plan staffing, leave, and payroll for your team in advance.

Do Employers Have to Provide Paid Leave on Public Holidays?

Yes, under Nigerien labour practice, public holidays that fall on an employee's normal working day are generally treated as paid days off, unless the employee is required to work for justified business reasons. In that case, the employee is typically entitled to both their normal holiday pay and additional compensation for the hours worked, often in the form of a premium rate or compensatory rest, as set out in the Labour Code, collective agreements, or company policy. Part-time employees are usually entitled to paid public holidays on a pro rata basis when the holiday falls on a day they would ordinarily work. When a public holiday falls on a weekend, there is no automatic statutory requirement to move it to a weekday, but many employers in Niger choose to observe the closest weekday in line with internal policies or sectoral agreements, and you should document your approach clearly in contracts and your staff handbook.

Legal Penalties for Not Providing Paid Holiday Leave

If your company fails to respect public holiday entitlements in Niger, you risk administrative sanctions, orders to pay back wages, and potential fines imposed by the labour inspectorate. Employees can file complaints with the local labour inspector, who can investigate, mediate, and, where necessary, refer matters to the labour courts. Courts may order payment of unpaid holiday wages, premium pay for work performed on holidays, and, in some cases, damages or penalties for repeated or intentional non-compliance. Common employer mistakes include treating public holidays as unpaid leave, failing to apply premium rates when staff work on a holiday, and applying inconsistent rules to different categories of employees. To reduce risk, align your internal policies with the Labour Code, keep clear payroll records showing how holiday pay and any premium rates were calculated, and ensure managers understand when they can schedule work on public holidays.

How Do Holidays Affect Overtime Thresholds?

In Niger, public holidays interact with overtime rules by affecting both how normal working time is counted and how premium rates are applied. Hours worked on a public holiday are typically treated as exceptional and should be compensated at a higher rate than ordinary hours, in addition to any standard overtime premium that may apply once weekly or daily thresholds are exceeded under the Labour Code or relevant collective agreement. This means that if an employee works on a public holiday and their total weekly hours exceed the legal maximum, you may owe both holiday premium pay and overtime pay. Because specific percentages and thresholds can vary by sector and collective agreement, you should check the applicable convention collective for your employees and reflect those rules in your employment contracts and payroll system. Clearly flag holiday hours separately in your timekeeping so you can apply the correct premium and avoid underpayment claims.

Stay 100% Compliant with Leave Regulations Using Playroll

Managing Niger's mix of civil and religious public holidays across a distributed team can be challenging, especially when you are coordinating schedules and payroll from another country. Playroll helps you stay compliant by combining local legal expertise with automated workflows that keep your holiday and leave rules up to date.

When you hire in Niger through Playroll, your team benefits from locally compliant employment contracts that clearly set out public holiday and leave entitlements, including how holiday work is compensated. Our in-country experts track changes to Nigerien labour law and common practice, so your policies reflect current rules on paid public holidays, weekend observance, and premium pay.

Playroll also syncs public holiday calendars directly into your HR and payroll processes, reducing the risk of accidentally scheduling staff on a holiday without the correct pay or compensatory rest. You can see, at a glance, which employees are off, who is working, and what each hour will cost, making it easier to plan coverage around Eid, Independence Day, and other key dates.

Because Playroll handles payroll calculations locally, including holiday pay and overtime premiums, you minimise the risk of underpayment and the penalties that can follow. You approve timesheets, and we take care of the complex part: applying the right Niger-specific rules every time.

If you are scaling a global team that includes employees in Niger, Playroll gives you a single, compliant way to manage hiring, contracts, leave, and payroll, so you can focus on growing your business while we handle the regulatory details.