Yewande Zaccheaus plans and manages high-impact events, lifestyle fairs, and business platforms that strengthen Nigeria’s creative economy.
Long before event planning became a respected profession in Nigeria, Yewande Zaccheaus recognised that the industry had potential far beyond what people could see.
After studying law at the University of Lagos, she moved to Cambridge University for her Master of Laws. Thereafter, she began her career as a legal officer at Nigerian-American Merchant Bank and later joined Ecobank Nigeria Plc as the pioneering Company Secretary and Legal Adviser. Over the years, she rose to become Deputy General Manager, building a strong reputation for structure, corporate governance, and leadership.
After nearly eighteen years in legal and banking roles, she felt ready to transition from paid employment to entrepreneurship. Returning from maternity leave in 1999, she decided it was time to pursue the passion that had always come naturally to her – organising events.
At the time, professional event planning was well-established abroad but barely recognised in Nigeria. Hence, the businesswoman spent months researching the industry through books and resources. She studied business models, observed Nigeria’s growing middle class, and noticed the rising appetite for weddings, celebrations, and corporate experiences that required more coordination than the informal system could deliver.
The gap in the market was clear, so in 2002, she founded Eventful Nigeria Limited. She started small, sharing office space with her husband, and built the business gradually by leaning on professionalism, reliability, and careful execution. Clients who wanted structure and quality began to trust her, and Eventful quickly positioned itself as the pioneer of organised event planning in Nigeria.
As the company grew, it expanded into event design, theme development, venue sourcing, vendor management, and full supervision for weddings, corporate meetings, funerals, brand activations, and even film productions.
Over the past two decades, Eventful has executed more than 2,000 events and positioned itself as the reference point for quality in the industry. Its success also helped shift public perception, proving that event planning was not merely a hobby but a viable business that required skill, coordination, and management expertise.
One of Zaccheaus’s most influential contributions came through the creation of lifestyle fairs that reshaped Lagos’ cultural space. The Food Souk, The Beauty Souk, The Fashion Souk, and The Street Souk – which she convenes- have become major showcases for indigenous entrepreneurs and youth-led brands. These events helped energise Nigeria’s creative economy by giving local businesses visibility, access to customers, and an organised platform that matched global standards.
Beyond Eventful, Yewande Zaccheaus has served as a Non-Executive Director at Wema Bank Plc since 2023 and also chairs the board of Hartleys Supermarket, bringing her corporate governance expertise into other sectors. She is also a founding trustee and former chair of Women in Management, Business and Public Service (WIMBIZ).
Yewande Zaccheaus also supports business education through partnerships with Lagos Business School and the University of Lagos to help young entrepreneurs gain practical skills.
