'Prepare': List of Public Holidays in Nigeria in the Second Quarter of 2025

• The second quarter of the year (April, May, and June) is significant for personal life planning and goal setting because it marks a midpoint for reflecting on the first half of the year
• In June 2025, the federal government will declare Eid-el-Kabir (also known as Eid al-Adha) as a public holiday
• Already, the federal government declared Thursday, May 1, 2025, as a public holiday to mark this year’s Workers’ Day celebration

FCT, Abuja - As the month of May ends gradually, the federal government of Nigeria will declare public holidays.

Legit.ng reports that holidays, both religious and secular, are declared for a variety of reasons, including celebrating shared history and values, fostering community connections, and providing work-life balance by taking a day off from work.

Many holidays also commemorate important people or historic events.

To this end, Legit.ng has compiled a list of the forthcoming public holidays in June, assisting readers in planning effectively.

Public holidays in Nigeria in Q2 of 2025

Public holiday for Eid-el-Kabir 2025

Eid el-Kabir, also known as Eid al-Adha or the Festival of Sacrifice, is one of the most significant festivals in the Islamic calendar.

It commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God.

Eid el-Kabir falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar, and coincides with the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage.

The festival honours Ibrahim’s devotion and God’s mercy, as God provided a ram to sacrifice instead of his son. It symbolises faith, obedience, and the spirit of sacrifice.

Muslims around the world engage in several practices to observe Eid el-Kabir.

In Nigeria, the Eid-el-Kabir 2025 celebration will fall on either Saturday, June 7, or Sunday, June 8, depending on the Islamic lunar calendar and the declaration of the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa'ad Abubakar. Abubakar is the president-general of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA).

Democracy Day public holiday 2025

Democracy Day in Nigeria is on June 12th. It is a national public holiday to mark the Nigerian general election on June 12, 1993.

It used to be celebrated on May 29th, but the date was moved to June 12 in 2019.

Recall Moshood Kashimawo Olawale (MKO) Abiola of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was agreed to have won the election after around 14 million Nigerians exercised their democratic rights and voted in the 1993 presidential poll. This would have put an end to eight years of military dictatorships. However, the election was annulled by the Nigerian leader at the time, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida (IBB), who claimed there were irregularities.

It is now agreed by most foreign observers that the initial election result was free and fair, and it should never have been annulled. Of the 30 states, Abiola won 19 of them.

32 years later, Babangida openly conceded that the late Abiola won the notable poll.

The 83-year-old made this admission on Thursday, February 20, 2025, in Abuja during the launch of his autobiography, 'A Journey in Service'.

Speaking at the book launch, former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said General Babangida (rtd) admitted that the late Abiola won the June 12, 1993 presidential election. Abiola was detained for four years, after making an attempt to assert himself as the elected president. He would later die unexpectedly, shortly after the demise of General Sani Abacha, on the day that he was due to be released from detention.

US embassy in Nigeria to observe holidays

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the United States (US) Embassy in Nigeria officially announced the days its offices will be closed in 2025 and gave reasons for these closures.

The dates include public holidays in the US and Nigeria, reflecting the embassy's commitment to honouring both nations.

Source: Legit.ng