Hilda Baci has once again etched her name into the record books, this time by stirring up Nigeria’s pride in the ever-heated “Jollof Wars.”
Partnering with Gino Nigeria, the chef unveiled the world’s largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice on Victoria Island, Lagos. The dish weighed in at a staggering 8,780 kg (19,356 lb 9 oz) and was presented to a massive crowd that turned out for the celebration, complete with live performances.
New record: Largest serving of Nigerian style jollof rice – 8,780 kg (19,356 lb 9 oz) achieved by Hilda Baci and Gino in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria 🇳🇬 pic.twitter.com/ErJLEJR5Qr
— Guinness World Records (@GWR) September 15, 2025
Known offstage as Hilda Bassey, the record-breaker emphasized that West Africa’s most contested staple is far more than food, it’s national identity. The debate over which country makes the best jollof rice, Ghana or Nigeria, has raged for years, with differences in ingredients and preparation at its heart.
For this record, Hilda had to adhere to strict ingredient rules and published the exact quantities that went into her pot. She combined 4,000 kg of washed basmati rice (required to make up at least 80% of the total), 164 kg of goat meat, 220 kg of Gino Asun & peppered chicken cubes, and 600 kg of her own signature pepper mix, Guinness World Records stated.
The feat required “nine hours of fire, passion and teamwork” and consumed 1,200 kg of gas, resulting in 16,600 plates of jollof “served with joy, love and community.” None of the food could be wasted, so organizers ensured it was carefully distributed to the eager crowd.
On Instagram, Hilda shared footage of people lining up to finally taste the rice after enduring the aromas all day. The crowd broke into chants of “Hilda, we want jollof,” and the dish won rave reviews from those lucky enough to try it.
Reflecting on the challenge, Hilda said: “I didn’t realize it would be this hard and it has been a challenge. It’s a lot of hard work but really satisfying to achieve the record.
“This achievement also belongs to the people of Nigeria as they all contributed to the achievement.”
This is not her first global spotlight moment. In May 2023, Hilda set the record for the longest individual cooking marathon, clocking 93 hr 11 min in Lekki, Lagos. That attempt went viral worldwide, with so many fans flooding the Guinness World Records website that it briefly crashed.
Her triumph sparked a wave of similar attempts across Africa, inspiring a continent-wide record-breaking fever. But the marathon itself has proven fiercely competitive. Ireland’s Alan Fisher later pushed the time to 119 hr 57 min 16 sec in October 2023, followed by Australia’s Evette Quoibia, who extended it to 140 hr 11 min 11 sec in February 2024.
