As the world counts down to 2025, an intriguing question arises: Which African countries will be the first to usher in the New Year, and which will be the last to say goodbye to 2024? The timing of New Year’s celebrations varies across the African continent, depending on each country’s time zone relative to London’s.
The United Kingdom follows Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) in winter, transitioning to British Summer Time (BST) in the spring and summer months, reflecting a difference of UTC+1. This time variation highlights the diverse ways African countries celebrate the arrival of the New Year, each marking the moment at a unique hour.
New Year’s Eve Celebration Times Across Africa (Measured Against London Time):
Tuesday 20:00 GMT – Mauritius, Seychelles (East Africa)
Tuesday 21:00 GMT – Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar, Uganda, Eritrea, Djibouti, Comoros, and some regions of South Africa
Tuesday 22:00 GMT – Some parts of South Africa, Egypt, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Libya, much of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan, Burundi, Namibia, Malawi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Mozambique, Lesotho, Eswatini
Tuesday 23:00 GMT – Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, Angola, Chad, Central African Republic, Gabon, Benin, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Niger Republic, parts of DRC, Congo, Western Sahara
Wednesday 00:00 GMT – Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Togo, Liberia, Mali, Guinea, Mauritania, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe
Wednesday 01:00 GMT – Cabo Verde
The tradition of celebrating the New Year dates back to January 1, 153 BCE, in ancient Rome. Initially, the Romans celebrated the New Year on March 1, but in 46 BCE, Julius Caesar introduced a solar-based calendar, officially designating January 1 as the start of the year. This practice spread throughout the Roman Empire and became widespread globally with the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in 1582.
As the world prepares to bid farewell to 2024 and embrace the promise of 2025, the staggered celebrations across time zones reflect the interconnectedness of cultures, each filled with hope and anticipation for the opportunities the New Year will bring.
