diff --git a/.github/workflows/CI.yml b/.github/workflows/CI.yml
index b6f028d..36439cf 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/CI.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/CI.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ on:
     types: [opened, synchronize, reopened]
 
 env:
-  MIN_PYTHON_VERSION: "3.8"
+  MIN_PYTHON_VERSION: "3.9"
 
 
 defaults:
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.os }}
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.8", "3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
+        python-version: ["3.9", "3.10", "3.11", "3.12", "3.13"]
         os: ["ubuntu-latest", "macos-14", "windows-latest"]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ jobs:
       matrix:
         # Only testing the build on the smallest supported Python version
         # since we're building abi3 wheels
-        python-version: ["3.8"]
+        python-version: ["3.9"]
         os: ["ubuntu-latest", "macos-14", "windows-latest"]
         architecture: [x86-64, aarch64]
         exclude:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release.yml b/.github/workflows/release.yml
index f30a58e..2c2aea6 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release.yml
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.8"]
+        python-version: ["3.9"]
         architecture: [x86-64, aarch64]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: macos-14
     strategy:
       matrix:
-        python-version: ["3.8"]
+        python-version: ["3.9"]
         architecture: [x86-64, aarch64]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ jobs:
     strategy:
       matrix:
         # amd64 only for windows, as no arm64 runners are available
-        python-version: ["3.8"]
+        python-version: ["3.9"]
     steps:
     - uses: actions/checkout@v4
     - name: build (release)
@@ -90,34 +90,34 @@ jobs:
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
     needs: [linux, macos, windows, sdist]
     steps:
-    - name: Download Linux 3.8 wheels for x86-64
+    - name: Download Linux 3.9 wheels for x86-64
       uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
       with:
-        name: "wheels-linux-python-3.8-x86-64"
+        name: "wheels-linux-python-3.9-x86-64"
         path: wheels-linux
 
-    - name: Download Linux 3.8 wheels for aarch64
+    - name: Download Linux 3.9 wheels for aarch64
       uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
       with:
-        name: "wheels-linux-python-3.8-aarch64"
+        name: "wheels-linux-python-3.9-aarch64"
         path: wheels-linux
 
-    - name: Download MacOS 3.8 wheels for x86-64
+    - name: Download MacOS 3.9 wheels for x86-64
       uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
       with:
-        name: "wheels-macos-python-3.8-x86-64"
+        name: "wheels-macos-python-3.9-x86-64"
         path: wheels-macos
 
-    - name: Download MacOS 3.8 wheels for aarch64
+    - name: Download MacOS 3.9 wheels for aarch64
       uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
       with:
-        name: "wheels-macos-python-3.8-aarch64"
+        name: "wheels-macos-python-3.9-aarch64"
         path: wheels-macos
 
-    - name: Download Windows 3.8 wheels
+    - name: Download Windows 3.9 wheels
       uses: actions/download-artifact@v4
       with:
-        name: "wheels-windows-python-3.8"
+        name: "wheels-windows-python-3.9"
         path: wheels-windows
 
     - name: Download sdist
diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 0693ae5..2a2ae3c 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ arrow = { version = "53.2.0", default-features = false, features = ["pyarrow"] }
 calamine = { version = "0.26.1", features = ["dates"] }
 chrono = { version = "0.4.39", default-features = false }
 log = "0.4.22"
-pyo3 = { version = "0.22.6", features = ["abi3-py38"] }
+pyo3 = { version = "0.22.6", features = ["abi3-py39"] }
 pyo3-log = "0.11.0"
 
 [dev-dependencies]
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7521149..8450cf3 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ Docs available [here](https://fastexcel.toucantoco.dev/).
 
 ### Prerequisites
 
-Python>=3.8 and a recent Rust toolchain must be installed on your machine. `cargo` must be available in your `PATH`.
+Python>=3.9 and a recent Rust toolchain must be installed on your machine. `cargo` must be available in your `PATH`.
 
 ### First setup
 
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index c39ca92..732a69e 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ name = "fastexcel"
 description = "A fast excel file reader for Python, written in Rust"
 readme = "README.md"
 license = { file = "LICENSE" }
-requires-python = ">=3.8"
+requires-python = ">=3.9"
 classifiers = [
     "Development Status :: 5 - Production/Stable",
     "License :: OSI Approved :: MIT License",
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ classifiers = [
     "Programming Language :: Python",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only",
-    "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10",
     "Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11",
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ module-name = "fastexcel._fastexcel"
 features = ["pyo3/extension-module"]
 
 [tool.mypy]
-python_version = "3.8"
+python_version = "3.9"
 follow_imports = "silent"
 ignore_missing_imports = true
 # A few custom options
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ log_cli_level = "INFO"
 
 [tool.ruff]
 line-length = 100
-target-version = "py38"
+target-version = "py39"
 
 [tool.ruff.lint]
 # Enable Pyflakes `E` and `F` codes by default.