diff --git a/pycadf/timestamp.py b/pycadf/timestamp.py
index 4ad1c70..43fd233 100644
--- a/pycadf/timestamp.py
+++ b/pycadf/timestamp.py
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@
 # the License.
 
 import datetime
-
-import pytz
+import zoneinfo
 
 TIME_FORMAT = "%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%S.%f%z"
 
@@ -24,11 +23,11 @@ def get_utc_now(timezone=None):
 
     :param timezone: an optional timezone param to offset time to.
     """
-    utc_datetime = pytz.utc.localize(datetime.datetime.now(
-        datetime.timezone.utc).replace(tzinfo=None))
+    utc_datetime = datetime.datetime.now(datetime.timezone.utc)
     if timezone is not None:
         try:
-            utc_datetime = utc_datetime.astimezone(pytz.timezone(timezone))
+            tz = zoneinfo.Zoneinfo(timezone)
+            utc_datetime = utc_datetime.astimezone(tz=tz)
         except Exception:
             utc_datetime.strftime(TIME_FORMAT)
     return utc_datetime.strftime(TIME_FORMAT)
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/remove-py38-0cb8ed123d41888b.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/remove-py38-0cb8ed123d41888b.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0403163
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/remove-py38-0cb8ed123d41888b.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+upgrade:
+  - |
+    Support for Python 3.8 has been removed. Now the minimum python version
+    supported is 3.9 .
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index e394942..67a8377 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -3,4 +3,3 @@
 # you find any incorrect lower bounds, let us know or propose a fix.
 oslo.config>=5.2.0 # Apache-2.0
 oslo.serialization!=2.19.1,>=2.18.0 # Apache-2.0
-pytz>=2013.6 # MIT
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 6c98c6e..c5a8c99 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ summary = CADF Library
 description-file =
     README.rst
 home-page = https://docs.openstack.org/pycadf/latest/
-python-requires = >=3.8
+python-requires = >=3.9
 classifier =
     Development Status :: 5 - Production/Stable
     Environment :: OpenStack
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ classifier =
     Programming Language :: Python
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3
-    Programming Language :: Python :: 3.8
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3.10
     Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11