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Plan a complete Nigerian event, on paper, end to end

The capstone project for Event Planning & Management — a free Business course. Pass it and you earn a certificate anyone can verify.

Start the course free Download the project workbook

The project unlocks once you complete the lessons. The workbook is free to download now so you can see exactly what is expected.

What you will submit

A shareable Google Drive folder link (set to Viewer for anyone with the link) containing seven items: the client brief, the vendor bench sheet with screenshots of at least three real quotes, the line-item budget with contingency, the run-of-show table, the one-page contingency and safety plan, the permits and approvals sheet with at least two items confirmed by a real named call, and the client proposal with your fee model, contract terms and payment schedule.

What to do, step by step

  1. Choose one real event in your city that is happening (or could realistically happen) in the next six months — a wedding reception, a 50th or 60th birthday, a naming ceremony, a church anniversary or convention, a shop launch, or a company end-of-year party. Run the eight discovery questions from lesson one with the real organiser if you can, or write a detailed brief for a realistic client if you cannot. Produce a one-page client brief in Google Docs covering event type and date, city and venue status, planned versus catered guest numbers, the client's top three priorities, the named decision-maker, and the total budget figure.
  2. Contact at least three real vendors in your city, in at least two different categories (for example a caterer and a decorator, or a hall and a sound vendor), and request written quotes for your specific date and guest number by phone, WhatsApp or Instagram. Record each one in a vendor bench sheet with business name, contact person, two phone numbers, area covered, the quoted price, the date of the quote, and one line on how quickly and clearly they responded. Save screenshots of the quotes in your folder as evidence.
  3. Build a line-item budget in Google Sheets with columns for Category, Item, Vendor, Unit cost (₦), Quantity, Total, Deposit, Balance and Balance due date, using your three real quotes plus researched estimates for everything else — mark clearly which lines are real quotes and which are estimates. The budget must include a named 10% contingency (day-of fund), must show the percentage each category takes of the total, and must reconcile to the client's budget figure; if it does not fit, add a short note showing the three options you would offer the client (fewer guests, lower standard, or a different date or venue).
  4. Write the run-of-show for the event day as a table with at least fifteen timed lines, each carrying time, activity, the named person responsible and a cue or note. It must cover the setup order in the correct sequence (cleaning, power, sound and lighting, stage and decor, tables and chairs, linens, catering, registration desk, final walk-through) as well as the guest programme, it must include the agreed sound cut-off time as a scheduled line, and it must reflect realistic Nigerian arrival timing for that type of event.
  5. Write a one-page contingency and safety plan covering, at minimum: power (generator sizing against your load, where it is sited and vented, who fuels it, spare diesel money); rain (your fallback and the exact time you would make the call); a late or no-show vendor for each of your four critical categories with the named backup from your bench; traffic and load-in buffers; guest control (registration, tags, souvenir custody, reserved food holdback); and basic safety — taped and lifted cables, the exit count for that venue with exits kept clear and unlocked, a fire extinguisher or sand near the cooking area and the generator, a first-aid kit, and the emergency number and nearest hospital for that venue.
  6. Attach a permits and approvals sheet with one row for each of: business registration status, signed client contract, signed vendor agreements, police or DPO notification for that crowd size, any local government or state permit or levy, the venue's fire-safety position and exit count, who holds the public-performance music licence (the venue, the DJ or you), the agreed noise cut-off time, the caterer's hygiene or food-handler answer, the security company and its licence, and your insurance position. Each row must show what it is, the responsible authority or party, the status (confirmed, pending, or not applicable and why), and the date and the name of the person you confirmed it with. At least two rows must come from a real call you made — for example an event centre on its music licence, or your state environmental agency or local government on noise rules and end times. Mark anything you could not confirm as 'to confirm', give approximate ranges at most, and do not state any fee or requirement as settled fact. Finally, write a client proposal in Google Docs stating your service tier (full planning, partial or day-of coordination), what is included and excluded, the budget summary by category, your fee with the model named explicitly (flat fee, percentage, or vendor markup — and if markup, disclose it), a three-stage payment schedule with all money collected before the event, and a validity date; include a clearly labelled contract-terms section covering scope, the non-refundable deposit, cancellation and postponement, force majeure, liability, and who pays for any permit or music licence. Put all files in one Google Drive folder, set the folder to 'Anyone with the link — Viewer', and submit that link.

Files to work with

Project workbook (fill in, then submit)The whole brief, an evidence checklist, the grading rubric as a self-check and the link-sharing steps in one file. Opens in Word, Google Docs or WPS.Word · 8 KB

How it is graded

CriterionWeight
A realistic, internally consistent budget: correct line-item structure, a named 10% contingency, category percentages shown, arithmetic that adds up, quoted lines distinguished from estimates, and either a fit to the client's figure or a clear three-option reality-check where it does not fit22%
A run-of-show with at least fifteen timed lines, a correct setup order (power and rigging before decor, decor before linens and catering), named responsible people for each line, the sound cut-off time as a scheduled item, and realistic arrival and service timing for that type of Nigerian event22%
Genuine vendor work: at least three real vendors contacted in two or more categories, with evidence of the quotes, a usable bench sheet including contacts, price ranges and quote dates, and honest notes on responsiveness16%
A practical contingency and safety plan covering power and diesel, generator siting and ventilation, rain with a stated decision time, a named backup for each critical vendor category, traffic and load-in buffers, cable safety and a stated exit count kept clear and unlocked, fire extinguisher or sand near cooking and the generator, first-aid and emergency contacts, and guest, souvenir and food-reserve control18%
Compliance and client-facing package: a permits and approvals sheet covering police or DPO notification, any local government or state permit, the venue's fire-safety position, who holds the public-performance music licence, the noise cut-off, caterer hygiene, security licensing and insurance — each with the responsible authority, a status and a confirmation date, at least two confirmed by a real named call, requirements framed as things to confirm locally with no invented fees — plus a proposal stating the service tier, inclusions and exclusions, the fee model named explicitly, a payment schedule collecting all money before the event, a validity date, and contract terms covering scope, deposit, cancellation, force majeure and liability22%

You need 65% overall to pass. A failed submission comes back with feedback and can be revised and resubmitted.

Before you submit: make your link public

If your work lives in Google Drive or Google Docs, open Share → General access and change “Restricted” to “Anyone with the link” (Viewer). Then paste the link into a private browser window: if it opens without sign-in, you are ready. A private link cannot be graded — it is the single most common reason a good project fails.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to finish Event Planning & Management before submitting the project?

Yes. The submission screen opens once every lesson in Event Planning & Management is marked complete. The lessons are where the methods, the Nigerian context and the worked examples the project depends on are taught.

How is the project graded?

An examiner scores each rubric criterion from 0 to 100 and weights them as shown on this page; you need 65% overall to pass. Most submissions are graded within minutes and you get written feedback on what was strong and what to improve.

Can I resubmit if I fail?

Yes. A failed project comes back with feedback; revise the weak parts and resubmit. A passed project is final — the certificate is issued and cannot be re-rolled.

What do I actually submit?

A write-up of what you did (under 5,000 characters) plus a public link to your work — a Google Drive folder, Google Doc, spreadsheet, GitHub repository or video. The link must open without sign-in; a private link cannot be graded. The free project workbook on this page walks you through all 6 steps.

Is the certificate real?

Yes. Passing this project issues a certificate with a unique verification code. Anyone — an employer, a client, a school — can open the verification page and see that the certificate is genuine and which project earned it.

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Event Planning & Management is free and self-paced. Finish the lessons, complete this project, and the certificate is yours to share.

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