Constitution Day: Gov’t moves holiday to Friday, January 9, 2026

The government has announced that Friday, January 9, 2026, will be observed as a public holiday nationwide, following the observance of Constitution Day on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.

The declaration was made by the Ministry of the Interior in a press release dated January 2, 2026, and signed by the Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak.

Constitution Day, marked annually on January 7, commemorates the coming into force of the Fourth Republican Constitution in 1993, a milestone that restored constitutional rule after years of military interventions.

The day is enshrined in law as a statutory public holiday, serving as a reminder of the country’s commitment to democratic governance, the rule of law, and constitutionalism.

In line with established government practice and existing legal provisions, the Interior Ministry explained that although Constitution Day falls on a Wednesday in 2026, the President has exercised his authority under Section 2 of the Public Holidays and Commemorative Days Act, 2001 (Act 601), as amended, to shift the holiday to Friday, January 9, 2026.

This decision was effected through an Executive Instrument, making Friday a public holiday to be observed throughout the country.

This government has relied on executive instruments in situations where statutory holidays fall midweek, intending to ease disruption to the workweek and allow citizens to fully observe national holidays.

The policy has often been justified as a way to promote productivity while still preserving the significance of commemorative days.

The Ministry of Interior, therefore, urged the general public, institutions, businesses, and workplaces to take note of the declaration and observe Friday, January 9, 2026, as a public holiday in accordance with the law.

The announcement reaffirms the government’s commitment to upholding the constitutional traditions while ensuring clarity and uniformity in the observance of public holidays.