As cities expand and population increases, there’s a growing demand for venues to host weddings, conferences, birthdays, and social gatherings. While operators of the event management industry face challenges that limit profitability, those that provide bespoke experiences, especially state-of-the-art facilities and are strategically positioned, stay afloat, VICTOR GBONEGUN reports.

Nigeria’s urban centres are witnessing a significant surge in the event management sector, driven by rapid urbanisation, a burgeoning middle class and cultural affinity for grand celebrations.

With increasing disposable incomes, more people can afford to host elaborate events, leading to a higher demand for well-equipped venues. In locations like Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt, Ibadan, Enugu, Abeokuta, among others, event planners are increasingly offering easy-to-understand packages in terms of rent, logistics, availability of stable power and venues.

The Guardian gathered that limited space in urban homes has led to a shift toward renting external venues for events, both large and small. Entrepreneurs are capitalising on the trend, investing in event centres as a profitable business venture with steady income from rentals, logistics, and auxiliary services. Businesses and religious groups also use these venues for retreats, seminars, and special programmes, adding to their popularity.

The Guardian learnt that hall capacities of 200 to 1,000 persons are mostly in demand in these locations. Furthermore, sustainability has become a growing trend in the event industry and continues to be a priority for many clients.

The research by MO Africa Company Limited revealed that from November 19 to December 26 last year, Lagos’ event centres hosted 1,175 bookings, bringing in N1.2 billion ($804,000).

The operators are becoming more digitised, by adopting virtual event platforms that ensure live streaming, and digital invitations to gain a competitive advantage. Nigeria’s cities of Lagos and Abuja, are trailing the blaze, becoming attractive destinations for international conferences, trade fairs, and entertainment events. Visits by these international guests offer improved business for hotels, restaurants, and event venues.

Event centres that also offer eco-friendly options continue to command high demand. This includes energy-efficient lighting, solar power, less noisy locations and other environmentally friendly options.

Some of the operators charge rent based on the number of hours or per day.It was gathered that the average price of event centres for rent in locations such as Lekki, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and other parts of Lagos mainland, hovers between N350,000 to N2.5 million and above per day depending on the facility.

In strategic locations of Abuja, price for a moderately furnished halls that could host at least 200 people ranges between N800,000 to N2 million, and above. In Port Harcourt, the price for centres that could accommodate about 200 and below ranges from N100, 000 to N1 million per day. The mini-size halls range from N80,000 and above.In Abeokuta, a moderately expensive event hall is about N320,000. The cost of an average event hall is N150,000 while the cheapest is 70,000.

For a 150 – 400 capacity centre in Kano, the price ranges between N1 million and N1.2 million. The cost of a 50 to 100 capacity is N500,000 to N600,000, while the cost of a 40 – 100 capacity hall is between N350,000 to N500,000.

However, the rapid expansion has not been without challenges. A major challenge faced by the operators is the failure of most of the owners to comply with the physical planning and urban development regulations.

In 2024, the Lagos State government shut down over 840 event centres and social facilities due to safety violations and non-compliance with regulations. Similarly, in April 2025, the Federal Capital Territory Administration closed an event centre in Abuja over persistent noise pollution complaints.

An event centre operator, Mrs Bunmi Oladapo, told The Guardian that increased demand, particularly in highbrow locations and high cost of operations have led to increase in rent recently. She disclosed that such space is for eight hours of use and comes with a stable power supply with a stand-by generator in case there is an outage from the national grid, and conveniences for guests.

According to her, the challenge has been to provide sufficient car parking space to avert the government’s sanction. She emphasised that sufficient car parks for the guests are compulsory before getting approval from government, ability to provide constant electricity supply for programmes, and damages to equipment like chairs by guests.

Another operator, who pleaded anonymity, disclosed most of the operators ensure that they have sufficient funds before getting into the business to overcome challenges that might come up during operation.

The source said most of the operators still rely on generators as alternatives, adding that solar power investments are done at a low scale to cater for the essential lighting of the halls. The source added, an unpredicted challenge for the business has to do with the provision of enough parking spaces, as vehicles at the centres often surpass what is expected.

“Most operators are navigating the issue by making provisions for extra car parks, which may be distant from the event site. Although it will come at an additional cost,” the source said.

The immediate past President of the Association of Town Planning Consultants of Nigeria (ATOPCON), Mr Muyiwa Adelu, argued that despite the poor economic situation in the country, which is not limited to Nigeria, people have to socialise, celebrate themselves, adding that it is part of life and what keeps the society moving. This, he said, is linked to why there is always demand for event centres in urban locations.

He said people can’t avoid having a situation whereby their children have to get married or celebrate any big events. However, he said, what could be of concern is that some people borrow to mark such an occasion.

Adelu bemoaned unplanned development of event centres in locations across the country, which sometimes are temporary and other times permanent, without regards for physical planning and sufficient parking space. He said: “For instance, when you have an event centre with 200 seating capacity and no sufficient car park, the result is seen with people parking on the road, causing traffic delays and snarls. Sometimes, the organisers have to engage traffic regulatory agencies to control traffic, which most times is not sufficient.

“There are laws, but they are not implemented and enforced in physical planning. People must socialise, but it must be done in designated areas. People shouldn’t just wake up and designate land for an event centre, it must comply with regulations. That is anti-planning.”

Speaking on the process for approval for event centres, he explained that once the developer gets a land, the location must be designated for the purpose of use, the developer must get the design from the architects that incorporate sufficient conveniences before approaching the authority.

He pointed out that the land must be big enough to accommodate cars. “A good event centre must have a minimum of two plots of land, maybe for a 100-capacity hall. Parking lots are crucial for an event centre. Once the government continues to caution the developers, they will do the right thing,” he added.

A town planner, Rasheed Osinowo, explained that under the physical planning law, the space that should be allocated for a car park is determined by the total number of lettable spaces for commercial use.

Regrettably, he said most of the developers of event centres don’t comply with the rule because they want to maximise profit, adding that some of them disobey the law even to their detriment. “People won’t naturally patronise an event centre that lacks enough parking space. Most event guests will prefer locations where their cars will be secured. With the Certified Accreditation Programme (CAP) in Lagos, such infractions will be resolved. There will be adequate supervision and enforcement of regulations in that regard.”