Best event management courses in Nigeria

With the event industry reaching a whooping $2 Tn by 2028, now is the best time to carry out that goal of diving into the world of event management. But before you dive into this industry, it is important to be informed of the skills you need to thrive.

Training in this field is necessary to plan and manage all sorts of events, from informal to corporate. You gain the opportunity to learn approaches and strategies to make events successful.

This blog post explores some of the best courses to help you break into event management and kick-start your career.

What is event management?

Before you dive into exploring these courses, you have to understand what event management entails. Also known as event planning, event management involves planning and executing public or private events for informal or corporate purposes.

This job encompasses research, event design, planning, coordination and control, and post-event evaluation. Beyond this, there are so much more that goes into event management in these sub-segments.

Best event management courses

This section covers the best event management courses and a breakdown of these courses and why we are recommending them.

Introduction to event management by Coursera

This course gives a complete guide on the basics of event management. The modules are specific on planning an event, coordination, choosing venues, marketing an event, what you need to know about logistics, and the basics on event design.

Much like most of Coursera's courses, learners benefit from interactive videos that are kept short and relevant, you also get transcripts of each video just for your learning preferences. You also get challenges, questions to test your knowledge, and a community to learn alongside others.

Why we like this course

• Very great for beginners
• Interactive learning experience
• Financial aid is available to reduce costs by over 90%

What we don't like

• There are no examples of real-life documentation or plans to enlighten beginners

Event and meeting management fundamentals by ELI

The Event Leadership Institute is transforming the event industry by leading the way in online training on event and meeting management. This course is designed to teach strategy and design, project management, financial management, risk management and contracts, site selection and management, event marketing, hospitality services, entertainment, and more on on-site operations.

This course takes a total of 10 weeks and earns you a certificate in event management as proof of your training. You could also become an ELI member to have access to webinars, videos, guides, and templates.

Why we like this course

• Globally recognized professional certificate
• Resources from industry experts
• Access to templates and guides for easy application
• Covers both hybrid and virtual events

What we don't like

• The $995 price is on the high side

Certificate in event planning by NIHOTOUR

NIHOTOUR is Nigeria's Hospitality and Tourism Insititute that provides training on all things hospitality and tourism. This emerged due to the growth of the country's tourism industry and the demand for professionals in this industry.

This course is as long as 2 semesters and it teaches planning and costing, health, security, and safety, reservation and booking, decoration, event marketing, event technology, sanitation and waste management, and entrepreneurship among other topics in the module.

It contains the essential topics essential to thrive as an event planner in Nigeria, and it offers you wide opportunities to apply your knowledge. The entry requirement is to have an SSCE or equivalent result with a pass in Math and English in just one sitting.

Why we like this course

• 8 weeks industrial attachment for hands-on application of knowledge
• Focus on entrepreneurship
• Affordable

What we don't like

• The learning duration is too long

Certification in Event Management by Udemy

Udemy is one of the most popular learning platforms for acquiring new skills by access to quality courses, so it's no surprise this course made it to the list.

The highlights of this course include the concepts of event management, marketing and promotions for events, risk management, strategic planning, gap analysis, financial management, and staffing.

This is a great course for beginners who are just getting into the world of event planning.

Why we like this course

• Affordable with a low price
• Very beginner friendly

What we don't like

• Users often made remarks about repetitive content

Event management by Course Flix

This course is hosted on Alison's platform for empowerment and it dives into the very basics of event management which makes it another great option on our list. The course content of this event management course covers event strategies, customer service skills, and types of events.

This course leans more towards the business side of event planning which is all about communication with your clients, vendors, and other important personnel for your event.

This is a short course and only takes 2-3 hours, so it is great for you if you want to test the waters of event planning and explore a career in the events industry but also do not want to commit a lot of time in this process. After this course, you can go deeper into events management if you want.

Why we like this course

• Offers a CPD accreditation to kickstart your career
• The course module is completely free
• It offers a great basic introduction to event management

What we don't like

• It doesn't go into topics like event marketing, design, and basic project management
• It doesn't offer other resources like templates besides the module assessment

Importance of education and upskilling in the events industry

The hospitality industry is an ever-evolving industry that continues to be in demand and when deciding to dive into the field, you need to be equipped with the appropriate skillset. Here are some of the benefits of education in this field:

• Credibility: Upskilling yourself with one of these courses earns you a professional certificate that can serve as proof to potential clients that you are knowledgeable about your services. With this credibility, you have an upper hand in the market compared to those that don't.
• Opportunities to grow your network: Some event management courses have a community of learners who interact as part of the modules. This provides a doorway to meet new people in the event planning and hospitality industry. The organizations associated with some of these courses sometimes hold virtual and in-person events which is also another networking opportunity.
• Knowledge of top technology tools: The world is advancing and the hospitality industry is not left behind. An event management course introduces you to top event management platforms like GoldnLilies which helps you find vendors and EventBrite which helps you plan, manage, and market your events. Familiarity with these tools puts you ahead in the event planning business.
• An opportunity to become an entrepreneur: Education in events management teaches you everything you need to know about business, customer service, and doing a great job as an event planner. These skills give you a headstart in starting your own event-planning business.

Conclusion

There are diverse event management courses to consider on the internet to upskill yourself and gain professional credibility. However, we have narrowed down this list to some of the best and most affordable courses you can find on the net.

These courses are a stepping stone to building a career in event management or even starting your own event planning business.