Port Harcourt

Port and capital of Rivers state in southeast Nigeria, on the River Bonny in the Niger delta; population (1992 est) 371,000. The port trades in coal, palm oil, and groundnuts. It is also an industrial centre producing refined mineral oil, sheet aluminium, tyres, glass, fertilizers, and paints. Founded in 1912, it was named after Viscount Lewis Harcourt, British secretary of state for the colonies 1910-15.

Port Harcourt grew as a small port on the River Bonny, some 65 km/40 mi from the coast. Between 1913 and 1926 a railway was built northwards via Enugu to link with the Lagos-Kano railway, and the port became the outlet for coal from Enugu and tin from the Jos plateau, as well as the natural centre for the palm oil trade. With the discovery and production of petroleum in the 1950s, Port Harcourt assumed increased importance as one of the principal towns in the oilfield area; however, the port cannot accept supertankers and alternative facilities were developed at Bonny.