Ethiopia bank holidays 2026 and 2027
Ethiopia has 12 bank or public holidays listed here between November 2026 and December 2027. Over the year-end peak (1 December 2026 to 15 January 2027) the dates to plan around are: Thu 7 Jan 2027 (Genna (Ethiopian Christmas)).
Currency: ETB · Time zone: Africa/Addis_Ababa · Subscribe to this calendar (.ics)
Why this matters for prefunding
When Ethiopia banks or payment rails close, a top-up sent to a local payout partner may not land until the next business day. Remittance demand often rises around the same holidays. Fund the corridor before the closure, sized for the closed days plus your normal top-up lead time. Check your corridor runway.
Holiday calendar
| Date | Holiday | Type | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 7 Jan 2027 | Genna (Ethiopian Christmas) | public holiday | Confirmed | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. The proclamation fixes it on 7 January even in a leap year. Thursday. |
| Tue 19 Jan 2027 | Timket (Epiphany) | public holiday | Confirmed | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. Tuesday. |
| Tue 2 Mar 2027 | Adwa Victory Day | public holiday | Confirmed | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. Tuesday. |
| Tue 9 Mar 2027 | Eid al-Fitr | public holiday | Expected | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. Islamic calendar date; depends on moon sighting. Ethiopia observed Eid al-Fitr on 20 March 2026, the Umm al-Qura date; the same pattern gives 9 March 2027, or 10 March after a 30-day Ramadan. Tuesday. |
| Fri 30 Apr 2027 | Siklet (Ethiopian Good Friday) | public holiday | Confirmed | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. Friday. |
| Sat 1 May 2027 | International Workers' Day | public holiday | Confirmed | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. Saturday. |
| Sun 2 May 2027 | Fasika (Ethiopian Easter) | public holiday | Confirmed | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. Falls on a Sunday, a weekend day. |
| Wed 5 May 2027 | Patriots' Victory Day | public holiday | Confirmed | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. Wednesday. |
| Sun 16 May 2027 | Eid al-Adha (Arefa) | public holiday | Expected | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. Islamic calendar date; depends on moon sighting. Ethiopia observed it on 27 May 2026, the Umm al-Qura date. Falls on a Monday if one day later. Falls on a Sunday, a weekend day. |
| Sun 15 Aug 2027 | Mawlid (Prophet's Birthday) | public holiday | Expected | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. Islamic calendar date; depends on moon sighting. Expected on Saturday 14 or Sunday 15 August; not a Monday to Friday date either way. Falls on a Sunday, a weekend day. |
| Sun 12 Sep 2027 | Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) | public holiday | Expected | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. The proclamation writes the date as 11 September; in 2027 the Ethiopian calendar places 1 Meskerem 2020 on 12 September. Falls on a Sunday, a weekend day. |
| Tue 28 Sep 2027 | Meskel (Finding of the True Cross) | public holiday | Expected | Public holiday under Proclamation No. 1334/2024; government and non-government institutions close. The proclamation writes the date as 27 September; in 2027 the Ethiopian calendar places 17 Meskerem on 28 September. Tuesday. |
Expected: the date depends on an annual declaration or moon sighting.
Payment rails and operating hours
| Rail | Operator | Hours | Runs on holidays |
|---|---|---|---|
| EATS RTGS (Ethiopian Automated Transfer System) | National Bank of Ethiopia | From 23 Mar 2026: 8:00 to 19:00 on every business day, under an NBE directive of 17 Mar 2026. EATS operates six days a week, including Saturdays. | unknown source |
| EthioPay-IPS (Ethiopia Instant Payment System) | EthSwitch, under National Bank of Ethiopia regulation | 24/7 | yes source |
What to watch
Ethiopia has no public holidays in November or December 2026. Sunday is the weekly rest day, and the EATS RTGS also runs on Saturdays. Highest-risk window: late April to mid May 2027, with Ethiopian Good Friday on Friday 30 April, Labour Day on Saturday 1 May, Easter on Sunday 2 May, Patriots' Victory Day on Wednesday 5 May and Eid al-Adha expected on Sunday 16 May. Proclamation No. 1334/2024 (August 2024) replaced the earlier holiday laws and does not include 28 May (Downfall of the Derg), so that day is not a public holiday. Islamic holidays move with moon sighting, and in 2027 New Year and Meskel fall a day later than the dates written in the proclamation. EthioPay-IPS runs 24/7 for account and wallet transfers; large transfers go through EATS, open 8:00 to 19:00 on business days.
Other calendars
Sources
- Proclamation No. 1334/2024 to Determine Public Holidays and Celebration of Public Holidays · Ministry of Justice, Ethiopia
- Proclamation No. 1334/2024 (English text) · MetaAppz Ethiopian Laws
- Ethiopian Holidays and Feast Days, 2019 E.C. · EthioTime
- Holidays and Observances in Ethiopia in 2027 · timeanddate.com
- Public and statutory holidays in Ghana and Ethiopia 2026 · Embassy of Ghana, Addis Ababa
- NBE launches ISO 20022-upgraded Ethiopian Automated Transfer System (EATS) · National Bank of Ethiopia
- NBE extends RTGS operating hours to boost payment efficiency · Birr Metrics
- National Digital Payments Strategy 2026 to 2030 (draft) · National Bank of Ethiopia
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