When coal was discovered in Enugu in 1909, it didn’t just change the town’s fortunes—it led to the birth of Port Harcourt three years later. By 1915, the first shipment of Enugu coal set sail for Britain, marking the beginning of a new economic era.

To make transportation easier, a railway line linking Enugu to Port Harcourt was built in just three years, connecting the coal-rich hills of Enugu to the bustling port city.

Photo: A lively street near the Port Harcourt railway station, 1954.

Ah, the good old days…