I travelled to Port Harcourt for the first time to write IELTS for my Canada study journey. Here is how I found the test centre, booked a nearby hotel, handled test-day nerves and what I learned from the experience.
My First Trip to Port Harcourt Was to Write IELTS: What the Experience Was Really Like
The first time I ever travelled to Port Harcourt was not for a wedding, holiday or business.
I went there to write IELTS.
At that point, my plan to study abroad was becoming more serious. I had been doing my own research about studying in Canada, and before I even submitted my school application, I discovered that English language requirements were something I needed to look into.
I also checked what Durham College required for my situation at the time.
That was how IELTS entered my relocation journey.
So I booked my test and prepared to travel to Port Harcourt.
I had never been there before.
Funny enough, travelling to a city I did not know was not the part that made me nervous.
The IELTS test itself was.
I Had Never Been to Port Harcourt Before
When I arrived in Port Harcourt, I did not know the city.
I did not know the roads.
I did not know exactly how to get around.
But I remember telling myself something very simple:
“You have a phone. You won’t miss road.”
That was honestly my mindset.
Instead of panicking because I was somewhere unfamiliar, I started asking questions.
I asked a driver for directions.
From there, I booked an Uber and made my way to where I needed to go.
Looking back now, this may sound like a small thing, but relocation is made up of many small experiences like this.
Before you eventually move to another country, you may already find yourself doing things outside your normal routine.
Travelling to unfamiliar cities.
Finding test centres.
Booking hotels.
Finding transportation.
Taking exams.
Gathering documents.
Solving problems without having somebody beside you telling you every single thing to do.
My Port Harcourt trip was one of those experiences for me.
I Wanted to Know Where the IELTS Test Centre Was Before Test Day
When I got there, one of the important things I did was locate the place where I would be writing the exam.
I did not want test day to be the first time I would start looking for the venue.
Once I knew where the place was, I booked a hotel close to it.
That decision gave me peace of mind.
Instead of waking up on the day of an important examination and worrying about Port Harcourt traffic, directions or whether I would find the venue, I already knew where I was going.
I could concentrate more on the reason I had travelled there in the first place.
IELTS.
If you are travelling from another city in Nigeria to take IELTS, this is one thing from my experience that I would recommend thinking about.
If your budget allows it, staying reasonably close to your test centre can remove one unnecessary source of stress.
You already have the examination to think about.
You do not need to add, “Will I find this place?” on top of it.
I Used the Time at the Hotel to Read
Once I had settled into the hotel, I continued reading and preparing.
I was not treating the trip like a holiday.
I knew why I had come.
The environment also helped because I had somewhere I could settle down before the test.
This is something people do not always talk about when discussing IELTS preparation.
Preparation is not only about answering practice questions.
Sometimes it is also about arranging your surroundings so that your mind is not dealing with ten other problems at the same time.
Know where you are going.
Know how you are getting there.
Have what you need ready.
Then concentrate on your test.
I Wasn’t Nervous About Port Harcourt. I Was Nervous About IELTS
This is probably one of the clearest things I remember from the experience.
The travelling itself did not make me nervous.
I was okay.
Even though it was my first time in Port Harcourt, I felt I could find my way.
The nervousness came on the day I was going to write IELTS.
It was my first time.
And because I was taking the test as part of something much bigger that I was trying to achieve, it felt important.
This was connected to my plan to further my education.
It was connected to Canada.
It was connected to the future I was trying to build.
So yes, I was nervous.
I think that is normal when something matters to you.
But I still went in and did what I had travelled there to do.
What the IELTS Test Environment Was Like for Me
One thing I appreciated was the environment.
I remember the place being quiet and well organized.
Overall, my experience there was nice.
There was no dramatic incident.
No major confusion.
No terrible story.
Sometimes that is worth saying too.
Not every stage of relocation preparation has to become a horror story for it to be useful.
For me, the IELTS test centre experience was organized.
The bigger challenge was simply managing my own nerves because I was taking an important test for the first time.
I am also deliberately not sharing my IELTS score.
The score itself is not important to the lesson I want someone to take from this story.
What matters is how I prepared for the experience and what I learned from doing something unfamiliar for the first time.
What I Learned From Travelling to Another City for IELTS
The biggest lesson was that I did not need to know Port Harcourt before going there.
I needed to know how to find information.
That is different.
I had my phone.
I could ask someone a question.
I could book a ride.
I could locate the venue.
I could find accommodation nearby.
I could solve one problem at a time.
That same attitude helped me later during other parts of my relocation journey.
You do not always need to know everything before you start.
Sometimes you need enough information to take the next sensible step.
If You Are Writing IELTS for the First Time, Do Not Add Unnecessary Stress
If I were speaking to somebody travelling to Port Harcourt, Lagos, Abuja or another Nigerian city to take IELTS for the first time, I would tell them to think about the practical side of the trip before test day.
Confirm your test location.
Work out your transportation.
If you need accommodation, do not wait until you are exhausted and confused before figuring out where to sleep.
Give yourself enough time.
Keep the things you need for your test together.
And then focus on the examination.
You may still feel nervous.
I did.
But being nervous about the test is different from being nervous because you are lost, running late and trying to find an address at the same time.
Remove the stress you can control.
Then deal with the test itself.
A Current Note for Anyone Looking for IELTS in Port Harcourt
My experience describes what happened during my own relocation journey. If you are booking IELTS in Port Harcourt today, do not use my old experience to assume the current venue, price or test format.
As of October 2026, the official IELTS test-centre directory lists two IELTS locations in Port Harcourt: British Council Port Harcourt at 3 Odi Street, Old GRA, and IDP IELTS Nigeria Port Harcourt at 45 Stadium Road. The official listings currently show computer-delivered Academic and General Training IELTS at NGN 299,000, although IELTS warns that prices can change.
There has also been an important change since my relocation preparations. The British Council says that from May 25, 2025, IELTS in Nigeria moved to computer delivery rather than paper delivery. Anyone booking now should therefore check the current format and available dates directly before paying.
This is why I always separate two things on JapaHive:
What happened to me
and
What the current rule is today
Your experience can come from somebody else’s story.
Your current requirements should come from the official source.
Do You Need to Travel to Port Harcourt to Write IELTS?
Not necessarily.
Port Harcourt happened to be where I went for my own test.
Someone preparing today should first search for an official IELTS test centre that makes sense for their location.
The official IELTS website has a test-centre finder where you can check available cities and test options in Nigeria.
That can save you from copying somebody else’s journey unnecessarily.
Sandra travelled to Port Harcourt.
That does not mean you need to travel to Port Harcourt.
Your goal is to find the right official test option for you.
What I Would Do Again
If I had to repeat that particular trip, there are things I would still do the same way.
I would still locate the venue before test day.
I would still choose accommodation close to where I needed to be.
I would still use my phone and ask questions rather than panic because I did not know the city.
And I would still give myself time to settle down and read before the examination.
Those small decisions made the experience easier.
Questions People Ask About IELTS in Port Harcourt
Was Port Harcourt my first choice because I knew the city?
No. It was actually my first time visiting Port Harcourt.
Was I scared travelling there?
No. I was comfortable with the trip itself. My nervousness came on IELTS test day because it was my first time taking the examination.
How did I find my way around Port Harcourt?
I asked for directions and used my phone to book an Uber and get where I needed to go.
Did I stay in Port Harcourt for the IELTS test?
Yes. After locating where I needed to be, I booked a hotel close to the test location and used the time there to continue preparing.
What was my IELTS test centre experience like?
In my experience, the environment was quiet and organized, and the overall experience was good.
What score did I get?
I prefer to keep my IELTS score private. The purpose of sharing this experience is to help someone understand the preparation and test-day side of the journey rather than focus on my personal score.
How much does IELTS cost in Port Harcourt now?
As of October 2026, the official IELTS listings show NGN 299,000 for computer-delivered Academic or General Training IELTS at the listed Port Harcourt centres. Fees can change, so check the official IELTS website before paying.
What I Want You to Take From My Experience
When people search for IELTS in Port Harcourt, IELTS test centres in Nigeria, or what it is like to write IELTS for the first time, they may be thinking mostly about the exam.
But sometimes the practical preparation around the exam matters almost as much.
My first trip to Port Harcourt taught me that you can arrive somewhere you have never been before and still figure things out.
Ask.
Use your phone.
Plan where you will stay.
Know where you are going.
Give yourself time.
Then focus on why you came.
For me, that trip was one small step in a much bigger journey from Nigeria to Canada.
At the time, I was simply going to Port Harcourt to write IELTS.
Looking back now, I can see that I was already learning something relocation would teach me again and again:
You do not have to know everything before you start. You just have to know how to find your next step.
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