When it comes to events in Nigeria whether it’s a sold-out concert in Lagos, a luxury wedding in Abuja, or a massive church crusade in Port Harcourt ticketing can make or break the entire experience.

You can spend millions on sound, lighting, and decoration, but if your ticketing is poor, you’ll lose money, frustrate guests, and even risk the event flopping. Sadly, many Nigerian event organizers keep making the same avoidable ticketing mistakes the type that cost them revenue, reduce attendance, and create unnecessary stress.

Here are six ticketing mistakes you must avoid if you want your event to sell out and run smoothly and how Shows.ng can help you fix them.

1. Selling Only Physical Tickets

The Mistake:

Depending 100% on paper tickets sold in just a few locations.

Why It’s Bad:

Not everyone can physically get to a ticket outlet, especially busy Lagosians or people living in other states. Physical tickets can also get lost, damaged, or forged.

The Fix:

Sell tickets both online and offline. With Shows.ng, your audience can buy tickets anytime, anywhere directly from their phone and receive instant confirmation. You can still have physical tickets for last-minute or gate sales, but your reach will be far wider when you go digital.

2. Pricing Without a Strategy

The Mistake:

Charging one flat price without considering your audience or event value.

Why It’s Bad:

You risk scaring people away with a price that feels too high or losing profit by undercharging.

The Fix:

Use tiered pricing. Offer early bird discounts to encourage quick sales, then raise the price closer to the event date. Add VIP packages with perks like front-row seating, free drinks, or backstage passes. Nigerians love value give them choices, not just a price tag.

3. Forgetting to Set a Ticket Limit

The Mistake:

Selling tickets without considering your venue’s actual capacity.

Why It’s Bad:

Overcrowding leads to discomfort, safety risks, and in some cases, shutdowns by authorities. It’s not just unprofessional, it’s dangerous.

The Fix:

Always know your venue capacity and cap ticket sales accordingly. Shows.ng automatically tracks sales in real time, so you’ll never sell more than you should.

4. Promoting Tickets Poorly

The Mistake:

Posting once or twice on Instagram and expecting tickets to magically sell out.

Why It’s Bad:

Nigeria’s event scene is crowded. People need consistent reminders and real reasons to buy now, especially when money is tight.

The Fix:

Run consistent, creative promotions. Use WhatsApp broadcasts, short videos, countdown posts, and urgency-based messages like: “Only 50 early bird tickets left at ₦5,000!”. With Shows.ng, you can even share direct ticket links that fans can buy from instantly.

5. Having No Gate Management Plan

The Mistake:

Showing up on event day without a plan for verifying tickets and managing queues.

Why It’s Bad:

Long queues, duplicate entries, and chaos at the gate ruin the event vibe and frustrate guests.

The Fix:

Use QR code ticketing and fast digital check-ins. Shows.ng provides easy scanning tools and can separate entry access for VIP and regular tickets, making your gate flow smooth and professional.

6. Ignoring Data After the Event

The Mistake:

Shutting down the ticketing system and moving on without reviewing what worked and what didn’t.

Why It’s Bad:

You miss golden insights like which ticket types sold fastest, where buyers came from, and when people were most likely to purchase.

The Fix:

With Shows.ng, you get detailed sales reports. Use this data to plan better for your next event and even retarget past buyers with special offers. A good mailing list is every organizer’s secret weapon.

Conclusion

In Nigeria’s fast-growing event industry, ticketing is no longer just about “selling passes” it’s about creating a seamless, secure, and exciting buying experience for your audience.

By avoiding these six common mistakes and using Shows.ng for your ticketing, you’ll sell smarter, stress less, and give your guests an event they’ll remember for the right reasons.