Hiring Professionals
Questions to Ask Before You Hire an Event Planner in Nigeria
A printable list of questions to ask before hiring an event planner in Nigeria — experience, pricing, contracts, references and red flags to watch for.
8 April 20261 min readEMAN Editorial Team
A short conversation saves a long disaster. Before you sign anything, ask these questions.
Experience and accreditation
- How many events like mine have you delivered?
- What is your professional designation?
- Can you share references I can call?
Accreditation through a body such as EMAN signals a Code of Ethics and verified standing — see hiring verified professionals.
Pricing and payment terms
- Is your fee flat or a percentage of the budget?
- Exactly what does the fee include?
- What is the deposit and payment schedule?
- What happens to payments if the event is cancelled or postponed?
Nigerian planners commonly charge a flat fee or 10–20% of the budget. Get it in writing.
Team, sub-vendors and day-of coverage
- Who will actually be on site on the day?
- Do you use sub-vendors, and who manages them?
- What is your plan if a vendor fails?
Contracts, cancellations and contingency
- Will we sign a written contract?
- What are the cancellation and force majeure terms?
- How do you handle budget overruns?
References and reviews
- Can I speak to past clients?
- Is there a portfolio of comparable events?
A printable checklist
- Comparable experience? 2. Accredited? 3. Fee structure clear? 4. Deposit terms? 5. On-site team? 6. Sub-vendor policy? 7. Written contract? 8. References verified?
Related reading
Ready to shortlist? Search verified professionals on the EMAN talent board.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most important question to ask an event planner?
- Ask for references from two recent clients with a similar type of event and then actually call them. Their answers tell you more than any portfolio.
- How do I know an event planner is accredited?
- Ask for their professional designation and, for EMAN, confirm they appear on the accredited talent board or can show their membership certificate.
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