Hosting your first event in Nigeria is exciting — and terrifying. There's a lot to think about, and one forgotten item can ruin the whole day.
Here's the checklist we wish every first-time organizer had.
6 weeks before
- Pick a date (avoid clashes with major events)
- Book the venue — and confirm it in writing
- Decide on ticket types and prices
- Create your event on TicketBox
- Design a flyer (Canva works fine)
- Set up a WhatsApp Business account
4 weeks before
- Start promoting on WhatsApp, Instagram, Twitter
- Reach out to 5 friends and ask them to share
- Book sound, lighting, and any equipment
- Confirm vendors (drinks, food, security)
- Create a budget spreadsheet
2 weeks before
- Post a countdown on social media
- Send reminders to everyone who's shown interest
- Confirm all vendors — get WhatsApp confirmations
- Walk through the venue — where will people enter? Queue? Sit?
- Print signage (entrance, ticket desk, toilets)
1 week before
- Send everyone who bought a ticket the time and location
- Prepare a door list (names of ticket buyers)
- Assign roles to your team (who handles check-in, who handles issues)
- Test your payment flow — buy a ticket yourself
- Get cash for last-minute expenses
1 day before
- Walk the venue one last time
- Set up early (decor, sound, seating)
- Charge phones and power banks
- Confirm staff arrival times
- Sleep early (seriously)
Event day
- Arrive 3 hours early
- Set up check-in desk with a charged phone or laptop
- Assign one person purely to solve problems
- Post live updates on WhatsApp Status
- Take photos and videos (you'll need them for the next event)
After the event
- Send thank-you messages to attendees
- Post a recap on social media
- Pay all vendors and staff the same week
- Review your numbers: how many came? how much did you spend? profit or loss?
- Write down what went wrong and what went right
- Start planning the next one
The one thing people forget
**Assign someone to handle problems.** Not you — you'll be hosting. Have a friend whose only job is to solve issues (broken sound, angry attendee, missing chair). Trust us, you'll thank yourself.
Your first event won't be perfect. That's fine. Ship it, learn from it, and make the second one better.
Ready? Create your event on TicketBox and let's go.