The Port Harcourt Book Festival is an annual literary event held in the city, organised by the Rainbow Book Club in partnership with the Rivers State Government. Founded in 2008, it has grown into one of the most significant literary festivals in West Africa, drawing writers, poets, academics, and readers from across Nigeria and beyond. Events include readings, panel discussions, book launches, and workshops, many of them free and open to the public.
The festival typically runs for several days in November and takes place at venues across the city, including the University of Port Harcourt campus. It has helped establish Port Harcourt's identity as a city of ideas and culture, not just of industry. If you happen to be visiting during the festival, the atmosphere is excellent — Nigerian literary culture is lively and argumentative in the best possible way, and the quality of discussion is high.