Opening Hours & Public Holidays

Namibia generally keeps fairly conventional business hours, but there is enough variation between offices, shops, banks and smaller towns to make advance planning worthwhile.

The most useful rule is simple: if something is important to your trip — a bank, pharmacy, border service, repair workshop or specialist shop — do not leave it until late on a Saturday afternoon.

General business hours

Government offices and many private businesses generally operate during normal weekday working hours, roughly from early morning until late afternoon.

Opening times vary between organisations, and some offices close or reduce services over lunch.

Shopping centres, supermarkets and larger retailers usually trade for longer hours and many open on Sundays, particularly in the larger towns and cities.

Smaller towns are different

In smaller towns, shops and services may close earlier, particularly on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

Travellers heading into remote areas should therefore buy groceries, medication, fuel and other essentials before leaving a major centre rather than depending on a particular business being open later.

Banks

Bank branches generally operate on weekdays, with some branches offering limited Saturday hours. ATMs and electronic banking have made branch hours much less important for most travellers than they once were.

If you need foreign-exchange services or help from a bank employee, check the individual branch hours before you go.

Service stations

Many service stations on major routes and in larger towns operate long hours, and some are open around the clock.

That does not mean every fuel station in Namibia is open 24 hours. In remote areas, it is still sensible to refuel whenever the opportunity presents itself rather than driving past a perfectly good pump in search of the next one.

Public holidays

Namibians do indeed love a public holiday, and they are worth keeping in mind when planning a trip.

Government offices, banks and many businesses close on public holidays. Supermarkets, restaurants, tourism businesses and service stations may continue operating, particularly in larger towns and popular travel areas, but hours can be reduced.

Tourism itself does not stop. Lodges, hotels, activities and transport services generally continue operating, although individual businesses may adjust their schedules.

Namibia’s regular public holidays

Namibia’s public holidays include:

1 January – New Year’s Day

21 March – Independence Day

Good Friday – date varies

Easter Monday – date varies

1 May – Workers’ Day

4 May – Cassinga Day

Ascension Day – date varies

25 May – Africa Day

28 May – Genocide Remembrance Day

26 August – Heroes’ Day

10 December – Human Rights Day / Day of the Namibian Women

25 December – Christmas Day

26 December – Family Day

Under Namibia’s Public Holidays Act, when a public holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is also a public holiday unless that Monday is already a public holiday.

Genocide Remembrance Day

28 May is one of Namibia’s newest national public holidays.

Genocide Remembrance Day honours the victims of the 1904–1908 genocide against the OvaHerero and Nama under German colonial rule. The date was proclaimed as a public holiday with effect from 28 May 2025.

Extra public holidays can be declared

The President may also declare additional public holidays for particular events or years.

This commonly becomes relevant around elections, state funerals or other events of national significance, so travellers with time-sensitive appointments should check for announcements close to their travel dates.

Public holidays and domestic travel

Long weekends can be busy.

Namibians travel too, and accommodation at the coast, in popular leisure areas and close to major towns can fill during long weekends, Easter and the December holiday period.

If your trip coincides with one of these periods, booking ahead is sensible.

Christmas and New Year

The period from mid-December into January is Namibia’s major summer holiday season.

Many offices operate with reduced staffing or close for part of the festive period, while the coast becomes particularly busy as Namibians head to Swakopmund, Walvis Bay, Henties Bay and Lüderitz.

If you need administrative services during this period, sort them out before everyone disappears to the coast.