Port Harcourt is a Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria, and the seat of the state capital of the same name. It sits on the east bank of the Bonny River in the Niger Delta. The LGA recorded 538,558 people at the 2006 census, with a 2022 projection near 774,600.
The colonial administration under Frederick Lugard established the port in 1912 to move coal from the Enugu mines, about 151 miles north, to ocean-going ships. The port took its name in August 1913, honouring Lewis Harcourt, then Britain’s Secretary of State for the Colonies. The indigenous Ikwerre people called the land Rebisi before the port was built, a name the modern LGA still carries in its settlement list.
The rise from 538,558 people in 2006 to a projected 774,600 by 2022 is a gain of roughly 44 percent in sixteen years. That growth tracks the city’s pull as Rivers State’s administrative seat and its main entry point for the Niger Delta oil industry, drawing workers and traders from across the south-south region.
Key Facts
The figures below summarise Port Harcourt LGA’s core statistics, drawn from the 2006 national census and a 2022 population projection.
| State | Rivers |
| Headquarters | Port Harcourt city |
| Population (2006 census) | 538,558 |
| Population (2022 projection) | 774,600 |
| LGAs in Rivers State | 23 |
Towns and Villages in Port Harcourt
The list below covers the historic townships, waterfront settlements and residential districts inside the LGA boundary, from the old colonial layout of Diobu and the two GRAs to riverine communities such as Abuloma and Bundu Ama. It was checked against INEC ward and polling-unit records, GeoNames, OpenStreetMap and local Ikwerre sources:
- Abuloma
- Amadi Ama
- Azuabie Town
- Borokiri
- Bundu Ama
- D-Line
- Diobu
- Eagle Island
- Elekahia
- Eremogbogoro
- Fimie Ama
- Koko Ama
- Marine Base
- Mgbundukwu
- New GRA
- Nkpogu
- Nkpolu Oroworukwo
- Ogbunabali
- Okuru-Ama
- Old GRA
- Old Port Harcourt Township
- Oroabali
- Oroada
- Orochiri
- Orogbum
- Orolozu
- Oromeruezimgbu
- Oromineke
- Oroworukwo
- Ozuboko Ama
- Rebisi
- Rumukalagbor
- Rumuobiekwe
- Rumuwoji
- Tere-Ama
Geography
Port Harcourt LGA occupies the historic core of the city on the east bank of the Bonny River, with the rest of the built-up urban area spreading into neighbouring Obio/Akpor and Eleme. Taken together, the wider Port Harcourt metropolitan area covers roughly 369 square kilometres, most of it low-lying Niger Delta terrain crossed by creeks and tidal channels. Further out, the “Greater Port Harcourt” planning area draws in Okrika, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Etche and Ogu-Bolo, all Rivers State LGAs in their own right. Port Harcourt is one of the LGAs of Rivers State (all Rivers State LGAs).
Economy & Local Life
Oil and gas drive the local economy. Two refineries at nearby Eleme, run by the Port Harcourt Refining Company, process a combined capacity near 210,000 barrels of crude a day. Multinational operators including Shell and Chevron keep offices in the city, alongside oil-service and logistics firms that supply the wider Niger Delta industry. Maritime trade moves through the Port Harcourt Wharf and the Onne deep seaport nearby, and the state civil service and its markets employ a large share of residents beyond the oil sector. As Rivers State’s seat of government, the LGA also hosts state ministries, courts and agencies that draw workers from across the state.
Getting There
Port Harcourt International Airport, with a Nigerian Air Force base alongside it, serves the wider metropolitan area on the city’s outskirts. A historic railway runs north from Port Harcourt to Enugu, and the city’s two seaports at Onne and Port Harcourt Wharf give it direct ocean access. As the state capital, Port Harcourt is the transport hub for the rest of Rivers State, with roads radiating out to every other LGA and river and creek routes still used for movement between the LGA’s waterfront settlements.
FAQ
Which state is Port Harcourt in?
Port Harcourt LGA is in Rivers State, Nigeria. It forms the historic core of Port Harcourt city, the state capital, and is one of 23 LGAs in Rivers State.
What is the population of Port Harcourt?
Port Harcourt LGA recorded 538,558 people at the 2006 census, the last national headcount. A 2022 projection put the population near 774,600.
What is the headquarters of Port Harcourt?
Port Harcourt LGA’s headquarters is Port Harcourt city itself, founded as a colonial port in 1912 and now the capital of Rivers State.
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