The United States Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos have announced eight remaining closure dates for 2026, affecting consular and routine public services during Nigerian and American holidays.
The US missions in Nigeria closures schedule covers dates between August and December, with both diplomatic offices advising visitors, visa applicants and individuals seeking consular services to plan ahead.
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According to the holiday calendar published on the official US Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria website, the first closure will take place on Tuesday, August 25, for Eid-El-Maulud, a Nigerian public holiday commemorating the birth of Prophet Muhammad.
The missions will later suspend operations on Monday, September 7, to observe Labour Day in the United States, followed by another closure on Thursday, October 1, for Nigeria’s Independence Day.
In October, services will also be unavailable on Monday, October 12, in recognition of Columbus Day in the United States.
The diplomatic missions will close twice in November, first on Wednesday, November 11, for Veterans Day and again on Thursday, November 26, for Thanksgiving Day.
The final holiday closures of the year will occur in December. The embassy and consulate will be closed on Friday, December 25, for Christmas Day, which is observed in both Nigeria and the United States, and Saturday, December 26, for Boxing Day, a recognised Nigerian public holiday.
The US diplomatic missions advised applicants for visas, passports, notarial services and other consular matters to consider the closure dates when scheduling appointments.
While routine public services will not be available during the holidays, the missions confirmed that emergency assistance for US citizens will continue throughout the closure periods.
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The announced schedule reflects the diplomatic missions’ practice of observing significant holidays from both countries while ensuring members of the public have advance notice of service interruptions.
Remaining 2026 Closure Dates:
August 25, 2026: Eid-El-Maulud, observed by Nigeria.
September 7, 2026: Labour Day, observed by the United States.
October 1, 2026: Nigeria Independence Day, observed by Nigeria.
October 12, 2026: Columbus Day, observed by the United States.
November 11, 2026: Veterans Day, observed by the United States.
November 26, 2026: Thanksgiving Day, observed by the United States.
December 25, 2026: Christmas Day, observed by Nigeria and the United States.
December 26, 2026: Boxing Day, observed by Nigeria.
Ibrahim Onipede is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.






















