How to Plan a Concert or Festival in Lagos

Let me tell you the truth about event planning in Lagos. The artist, the flyer and the venue are the fun part. The part that decides whether you make money or lose sleep is everything nobody posts on Instagram: tickets, power, security, entry flow and the plan for when something goes wrong.

Because something will go wrong. As one Nigerian event guide puts it, "Rain fit fall. Generator fit off. Agberos fit show." The organisers who win are the ones who planned for it.

I've been around events of every size, including crowds of over 10,000 people, and the lessons repeat. This is the practical roadmap I'd follow if I were putting together a concert or festival in Lagos today. Grab a pen.

Step 1: Start with the numbers, not the vibes

Before you book anyone, write down your budget and your break-even point. Your budget needs to cover:

• Venue
• Artists, MC and DJ
• Sound, lighting and stage
• Security
• Power, including generator and fuel
• Ticketing and wristbands
• Marketing
• Permits and approvals
• Staff, vendors and logistics
• A contingency fund for the "wahala" you did not plan for

Work out how many tickets you must sell at what price to break even. If the maths does not work on paper, it will not work on the night. "Na calculator dey show who get money."

Clock it: do not choose the cheapest option for everything. Choose dependable. A cheap generator that dies at 10 p.m. is the most expensive thing you will buy.

Step 2: Pick your date and venue carefully

Lagos traffic, other big events and even a popular celebrity wedding can wreck your turnout. Check what else is happening on your date before you lock it in. Also think about:

• Location and access. Can your guests reach the venue easily, and can they get home safely?
• Capacity. Know the real limit and never sell beyond what the venue can hold safely.
• Entrances and exits. More than one, and clearly separated for guests, VIPs, artists and vendors.
• Parking and drop-off. Plan it, or it will plan you.

Step 3: Sort permits and approvals early

Requirements depend on your venue, your event type and what you are serving or selling. Ask your venue manager what permits they already hold and what you must arrange yourself. For large gatherings, make contact with the relevant Lagos authorities and your security providers well before the day. The Lagos State Safety Commission has published safety guidelines for large gatherings, so make it part of your planning to check current requirements instead of guessing.

I am not a lawyer, and rules change. Confirm the current requirements directly with the venue and authorities, and keep your approvals documented.

Step 4: Set up ticketing the smart way

This is where many organisers lose money without noticing. Do these things:

• Use one official ticketing channel and promote it everywhere. Tell your audience, "Buy only from our official link."
• Create ticket tiers. Early bird, regular, VIP and group tickets help you sell early and earn more from guests who want premium access.
• Give every ticket a unique code so duplicates can be caught at the gate.
• Start selling early. Early cash flow helps you pay deposits and shows you whether the event is catching.
• Warn people about fake pages. Scammers love a hot event.

Step 5: Choose your wristbands to match your event

Wristbands are your gate's best friend. They decide who has access to what, and they stop people passing entry from hand to hand.

• One-night concert: Tyvek is usually the best balance of cost and security.
• Multi-day festival: vinyl or fabric holds up better over several days.
• Brand keepsake: silicone, as a souvenir rather than your main access control.
• Tiered access: use different, easy-to-spot colours for General, VIP, Backstage, Staff and Vendors.
• Larger or ticketed events: consider QR code or barcode printing linked to your tickets, or RFID if you need cashless payments and zone control.

How many should you order? Start with your expected attendance, then add staff, vendors, performers, security and media. Add a buffer of around 5 to 10 percent for damaged or replacement bands. Running out at the gate is a nightmare, while a few spare bands cost very little.

For more detail, read our guide on how much event wristbands cost in Nigeria.

Step 6: Take security seriously

In Nigeria, we love to hire the biggest guy on the street and call him a bouncer. For a real event, you need licensed, trained professionals: police, NSCDC or reputable private security firms who understand crowd control and emergency response.

Your security plan should cover:

• Entry and exit control
• Crowd flow and barriers
• Artist and VIP protection
• Bag and prohibited-items checks
• Emergency response and evacuation
• Communication between your team members

Share the plan with your whole team so everyone knows who does what.

Step 7: Power, sound and technical setup

Do not leave power to chance. Plan for:

• A reliable main generator and a backup
• Enough fuel for the whole event, plus extra
• Experienced sound and lighting technicians
• Charging points for your gate team's phones and scanners

"NEPA is not your friend." Treat power as a core part of your event, not an afterthought.

Step 8: Design your entry flow

A good gate is boring. A bad gate is a viral video. Think about:

• Separate lanes for pre-paid ticket holders, VIPs, guests who need help and staff.
• Enough scanning points for your crowd size. Too few and queues will build up.
• Clear signs so guests know where to go.
• A backup guest list in case scanners or networks fail.
• A trained team who know how to scan, what each wristband colour means and how to handle problems calmly.

Step 9: Market the right way

Great marketing is steady, not noisy for one week. Build the buzz early:

• Announce the lineup and ticket sale date together
• Use short videos of the artists and the venue
• Partner with influencers, media and community pages
• Run ticket giveaways, but only through official channels
• Share the same official link everywhere
• Post practical details: parking, entry times, what to bring and what is banned

The more your guests know before they arrive, the fewer problems you face at the gate.

Step 10: Make a day-of plan and a Plan B

Write a run-of-show with timings for setup, soundcheck, doors, acts and close. Brief your team the day before and again on the morning of the event. Then prepare for the things that can go wrong:

• Rain: covered areas, ponchos for staff, a decision point for delays
• Power failure: backup generator and clear instructions
• Late artist: a stand-by MC or DJ to hold the room
• Overcrowding: a clear process to pause entry
• Emergency: known exits, first aid and emergency numbers

Step 11: After the event

Your work does not end when the lights go out. Reconcile your ticket sales and scans, pay your vendors on time, collect feedback and review what worked and what did not. If you linked your wristbands to your ticketing system, you will have real data to plan a bigger, better event next time.

Quick planning checklist

• Budget and break-even calculated
• Date and venue confirmed
• Permits and approvals checked
• Official ticketing channel live
• Wristbands ordered with a buffer
• Security plan and licensed team in place
• Generator, backup and fuel arranged
• Entry flow and gate team trained
• Marketing calendar running
• Run-of-show and Plan B written

Frequently asked questions

How early should I start planning a concert in Lagos? For a mid-sized or large event, start as early as you can, ideally several months ahead. Give yourself time for approvals, ticket sales, wristbands and vendors.

How many wristbands should I order? Expected attendance plus staff, vendors, performers and media, with an extra 5 to 10 percent buffer.

Do I need permits? It depends on your venue and event. Ask your venue manager and confirm requirements with the relevant authorities.

Can Seats & Tickets help with ticketing and wristbands? Yes. We help organisers sell tickets, supply wristbands and manage entry so everything works together. Confirm the exact services you need when you reach out.

Let's plan your next event

Have a show, festival or corporate event coming up in Lagos? Talk to us about ticketing, wristbands and entry management. We'll help you plan a smooth gate, "no dulling."

Get in touch on WhatsApp, or enquire about wristbands and explore our event wristbands in Lagos.

Related reading: How Much Do Event Wristbands Cost in Nigeria?