Port Harcourt Book Festival 2026
Port Harcourt Book Festival (PHBF) 2026 is an influential annual literary event held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, organized by the Rainbow Book Club. Scheduled for September 6 to September 11, 2026, the festival aims to celebrate literary excellence, promote book culture, and encourage deeper engagement between authors and readers across Nigeria and the African continent.
The festival, nicknamed the “Garden City Literary Festival,” has been a critical platform since its inception in 2008, endorsed by the Rivers State government and supported by Nigerian oil and gas companies. PHBF includes a diverse array of activities such as book launches, author readings, panel discussions, poetry performances, workshops for emerging writers, and children’s storytelling sessions.
The 2026 edition is poised to uphold its tradition of engaging top Nigerian and African writers, poets, and cultural commentators. It fosters dialogue on pressing societal issues such as identity, politics, social justice, and development through literature and arts. Past festivals have proudly featured luminaries like Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka and celebrated Nigerian voices, enhancing the festival’s prestige.
A unique aspect of PHBF is its partnership with UNESCO’s World Book Capital initiative, recognizing Port Harcourt as a UNESCO World Book Capital in 2014, underscoring its commitment to literacy and cultural development. The festival’s educational outreach programs in local schools and communities aim to inspire young readers and nurture new literary talents from the grassroots.
PHBF 2026 also emphasizes influencer engagement and media coverage to amplify African literary voices and foster a more inclusive global literary conversation.
Combined with the rich cultural and natural landscape of Port Harcourt, the festival attracts visitors from across Africa and beyond, offering a vibrant and immersive experience centered on storytelling’s power to inspire and transform.
Source: https://punchng.com/port-harcourt-hosts-writers-for-literature-prize/
Category: Literature Events
Tag: Education Events
