Over 400 vendors have joined Celevend, a new Lagos-based mobile platform aiming to overhaul Nigeria's $2 billion events industry. The app aggregates service providers across 24 categories, including photography, catering, makeup, venues, and decoration, allowing users to book directly with transparent pricing and secure payments. Currently, event planning in Nigeria relies heavily on word-of-mouth, WhatsApp negotiations, and Instagram DMs, often leaving customers uncertain about availability, costs, and reliability. Celevend offers verified vendor profiles, client reviews, and digital booking records, replacing cash transactions and informal agreements. The platform is available for free on both iOS and Android. Founder Kelvin Atemie-Hart said the focus is on vendor accessibility and customer security, though he declined to disclose funding or revenue details. A market analyst observed that the industry operates with no formal infrastructure, limiting small vendors' reach while creating friction for clients. The platform also targets Nigerians in the diaspora who plan events back home, offering a centralised system to reduce coordination challenges.
The launch of Celevend exposes how deeply informal Nigeria's $2 billion events sector remains, despite its scale. Kelvin Atemie-Hart's platform proves that digital infrastructure can displace handshake deals—even without government involvement. For the 400+ vendors now on the app, visibility and payment security could mean steady income previously blocked by opaque networks. If adoption grows, remote planning for diaspora Nigerians may become routine rather than a logistical gamble.
