Public holidays in Mali: the year's calendar in Bamako
Mali's legal holidays set by law no. 05-040 of 22 July 2005 (22 September, 20 January, 26 March, Mawlid, Eid al-Fitr, Tabaski, Christmas, Easter Monday…), extra days the government can add, and how Bamako celebrates Tabaski and Ramadan.
Mali's calendar mixes civic holidays on fixed dates with religious holidays that follow the lunar calendar. To plan a meeting, a move or a trip, you need to know them: on these days, government offices and banks close. Here is the list set by law, and how Bamako celebrates its big holidays.
Before you travel: in October 2026, France and the United Kingdom advise against all travel to Mali, Bamako included. Read our page on safety and travel advice.
Key points
- Legal holidays are set by law no. 05-040 of 22 July 2005.
- They are days off with pay (article 3).
- The government can declare the next working day after certain holidays a day off (article 2).
- Muslim holidays (Mawlid, Eid al-Fitr, Tabaski) move every year.
The legal holidays
| Date | Holiday |
|---|---|
| 1 January | New Year's Day |
| 20 January | Army Day |
| 26 March | 26 March Day |
| 1 May | Labour Day |
| 25 May | Africa Day |
| 22 September | National Day of the Republic of Mali (independence) |
| 25 December | Christmas |
| variable | Mawlid (Maouloud: the Prophet's birth and naming): two days |
| variable | Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) |
| variable | Tabaski (Eid al-Adha) |
| variable | Easter Monday |
26 March Day marks the events of March 1991, which also gave their name to the Stade du 26-Mars and the Martyrs' Bridge. 22 September commemorates the proclamation of independence in 1960: see our history of Bamako.
The dates of Muslim holidays depend on sighting the moon and are announced shortly beforehand; Easter Monday follows the Christian calendar.
Tabaski and Ramadan in Bamako
These two holidays set the pace of life in the capital, and each year the State runs promotional livestock sales that connect herders directly with families, without middlemen.
For Tabaski 2026, the 18th sheep sale ran from 20 to 27 May 2026. In Bamako, five sites were used:
- the municipal ground at Hippodrome;
- the former Réal ground at Badialan I;
- the Shaba ground at Lafiabougou;
- the Souleymane Coulibaly municipal ground at Torokorobougou;
- the municipal ground at Sogoniko, where the operation was launched on 22 May.
For Ramadan 2026, the cattle sale ran from 11 to 19 March. Of a target of 4,310 head, 4,111 were offered and 4,074 sold.
During Ramadan the Ministry of Trade also sets up a sugar supply plan; about a third of the sugar is produced in Mali: see our page on agriculture and cotton. For holiday food, see Malian cuisine.
Frequently asked questions
How many public holidays does Mali have?
Law no. 05-040 sets seven fixed-date holidays and several variable ones (two days of Mawlid, Eid al-Fitr, Tabaski, Easter Monday), and the government can add the day after certain holidays.
What is Mali's national day?
22 September, the anniversary of independence proclaimed in 1960.
Are public holidays paid in Mali?
Yes: the law states that legal holidays and declared days off are days off with pay.
Official sources (checked on 19 October 2026)
- Official Journal no. 25 of 10 September 2005, law no. 05-040 of 22 July 2005 on legal holidays in the Republic of Mali (French), articles 1 to 4.
- General Secretariat of the Government, Council of Ministers statements of 25 March 2026 and 13 May 2026 (French).