Port Harcourt

Port Harcourt is an industrial city in the Niger Delta located along the Bonny River, serving as a major center for oil refining and heavy industry. The waterfront connects commercial districts with residential neighborhoods, while factory compounds spread across the outer zones.

British colonial authorities founded the city in 1912 as a coal export terminal and named it after Lewis Harcourt, Secretary of State for the Colonies. After independence, it grew into a petroleum industry hub and completely shifted its economic focus.

The Port Harcourt Book Festival brings together authors and readers from across Africa each year. The city earned UNESCO recognition as World Book Capital in 2014.

Most visitors arrive for business purposes and stay in the Old GRA or New GRA neighborhoods where hotels and offices are concentrated. Local transport depends mainly on shared minibuses and motorcycle taxis that navigate the busy streets throughout the day.

Nigeria's first oil refinery opened in 1965 at Alesa-Eleme and marks the beginning of the country's petroleum processing industry. This facility stands today as a record of the city's transformation from a coal export hub to an energy center.

Location: Port Harcourt

Inception: 1912

Elevation above the sea: 18

Area: 360

Part of: South South, Rivers State

Shares border with: Owerri, Gulf of Guinea

GPS coordinates: 4.75000,7.00000

Latest update: December 18, 2025 15:40