Nigeria Celebrates as Hilda Baci Sets Jollof World Record: 8,780kg Served
Lagos — Nigeria’s culinary star Hilda Baci has set a Guinness World Record for the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice: 8,780 kg prepared and served at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island. In a custom 22,619-litre, 6m-wide, 6m-tall pot, Baci led a 10-chef team through a nine-hour cook—then fed the crowd in line with strict no-waste rules. It’s a win for culture, cuisine and the food & beverage economy.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu captured the mood of the nation as she congratulated Nigerian Celebrity Chef, Hilda Baci, for setting another Guinness World Record for cooking the largest serving of Nigerian-style Jollof Rice.
Mrs Tinubu, in her congratulatory message issued in Abuja on Tuesday, acknowledged that Hilda Baci’s achievement was rare, and had brought her to international limelight.
She further prayed for greater accomplishments for Hilda Baci and other Nigerian youth who dared to dream.
According to the First Lady, “Your passion, resilience and creativity in showcasing your craft as a Celebrity Chef of one of Nigeria’s most loved dishes on the global stage is inspiring.
“Your art of culinary techniques has not only brought pride to our dear nation, but has gained national and global recognition.
“Through this feat, you have shown what young Nigerian women can accomplish with hard work, determination and power of innovation.”
What Happened (Celebration Highlights)
- The record: Largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice — 8,780 kg.
- Where/when: Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos — Sept 12–13, 2025 (confirmed subsequently).
- The build: 22,619-litre custom pot; six metres wide & tall; ~9 hours active cook.
- The team: Baci + 10 chefs, stewards and safety officers; thousands of fans, creators and food vendors.
- The distribution: Portions served to attendees to comply with Guinness anti-waste protocols.
- Celebrity roll-call: Film and creator heavyweights joined the festivities; the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, congratulated Baci for a feat that inspires Nigerian youth.
Baci called it “hard work and deeply satisfying”—and dedicated the moment to Nigerians whose support turned a culinary challenge into a national celebration.
Why It Matters
1) Soft Power → Real Markets
This is brand Nigeria on a plate. Global headlines about Nigerian jollof drive culinary tourism, diaspora demand, and export-ready SKUs (sauces, spice kits, RTD stews, frozen meal lines).
2) Category Growth for Staples & Sauces
The record formalises a category moment for rice, tomato paste, peppers, stock, oils and proteins—opening space for co-brand packs, festival ranges, and retail promotions timed to Jollof Day-style activations.
3) Events ROI Playbook
A nine-hour, high-compliance cook proves mega-scale event operations in Lagos: crowd control, food safety, power redundancy, and zero-waste logistics. That de-risks future food festivals and brand-led cultural events.
4) Standards & Trust at Scale
Guinness protocols (precise weighing, hygiene, calibrated output, no waste) showcase African food at global standards—useful for retailers, QSR chains, and quick-freeze brands negotiating international shelf space.
The Business of Jollof: What Smart Brands Do Next
- Bundle & Co-Create: Launch “Record-Ready Jollof Kits” (rice + paste + spice + oil) sized for home cooks and caterers.
- Retail Theatrics: Seasonal in-store displays with tasting booths; drive basket-size with cross-category coupons.
- Foodservice Collabs: Limited-time jollof menus in QSR and casual dining; partner on delivery app exclusives.
- Content & Commerce: Recipe reels with shoppable links, chef masterclasses, and creator spin-offs (party jollof, smoky suya jollof, seafood jollof).
- Export Readiness: Standardise spice blends, packaging, and cold-chain SKUs for diaspora markets (US/UK/EU/GCC).
- Impact & Inclusion: Source peppers, tomatoes and onions from women-led farmer groups; publish traceability to win institutional buyers.
By the Numbers (Record Snapshot)
- Total served: 8,780 kg
- Cook time: ~9 hours
- Pot capacity: 22,619 litres (6m × 6m)
- Culinary crew: 10 chefs + support teams
- Compliance: strict measurement, hygiene, no-waste distribution
- Venue: Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos
Risks & How the Team Managed Them
- Food Safety: Oversight on temperature control, batch tagging, and sanitised service lines.
- Crowd & Security: Zoned access, queue management, and medical stations.
- Power & Redundancy: Backup generators and contingency burners for continuous heat.
- Waste Protocol: Portioning logistics and post-service redistribution to meet anti-waste rules.
Cultural Moment → Economic Momentum
The event morphed into a living culture festival—food stalls, local beverages, small chops, live music—showcasing SME vendors and street-level entrepreneurship. Each activation drives jobs, supplier orders, logistics runs, and media spend—a genuine multiplier for the creative and F&B economy.
BRANDECONOMY Take
This is not just a record—it’s a category unlock. Jollof sits at the crossroads of identity and industry. When a chef anchors a world record with global-grade compliance and zero waste, she hands retailers, CPGs, QSRs and exporters a ready-to-scale playbook.
Bottom line: Celebrate the culture, productise the moment, standardise for scale. If stakeholders execute now, 2025–26 becomes the year Nigerian jollof moves from viral pride to global pantry staple.
