Nigerian Chef Hilda Baci wins Big with New Jollof Guinness World Record 

On September 15th, 2025, Lagos witnessed history simmering in a giant pot! 

Celebrity Chef and Foodpreneur, Hilda Effiong Bassey, famously known as Hilda Baci, has officially entered the Guiness Book of Records once again. This time, for preparing the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice, weighing an astonishing 8,780 kilograms (19,356 Ib oz). 

Alongside Gino Nigeria, Baci and her team cooked up a monumental feast that drew thousands of supporters and curious onlookers in person and online. The record to beat was 4,700 kilograms but Baci and her team nearly doubled that figure. This has set a new global benchmark for one of West Africa’s most beloved dishes. 

Hilda and her chefs during the cooking challenge/image by GWR

The Guinness World Records announced her new record in a video posted on X (formerly known as Twitter.)

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

It took Baci and her team an entire year to prepare for the challenge, including manufacturing the massive pot which alone required 300 people to make. On the day, 10 chefs in matching red uniforms stood by her side, assisting her to stir the world’s biggest pot of jollof. 

The new record reignites the spirited debate and jollof rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana. While Guinness may not take sides, Nigerians have a lot to say online.

The red pot being placed at the venue for the event

Nigerians React as the Nation Celebrates

As news of Baci’s record-breaking jollof spread online, Nigerians at home and abroad flooded social media with pride and excitement. On X, (formerly Twitter), the hashtag #HildaBaci is trending. People are praising her achievement as a victory not just for herself, but for the entire nation.

“It’s official! Hilda Baci was awarded a Guinness World Record for the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice. Hilda cooked 8,780 kg of rice, producing 16,600 plates during a nine-hour marathon that consumed 1,200 kilograms of gas. Congratulations are in order,” wrote X user, Chude.

Another user, Dr. Olawale added, “I love how Hilda Baci has really innovated her craft as a Chef. It takes a lot of critical thinking and planning, calculating and measuring your ingredients, to cook one tasty pot of Jollof Rice, not to mention the largest pot of Jollof Rice in the world.This is no small feat.”

User, JMB wrote, “Hilda Baci ticks all the boxes for me as a doer of things! 

– audacious goals – DONE!

– proper planning – DONE!

– community/crowd support – DONE!

– excellence – DONE! 

Proper talk and do babe! If you think you can do better, go and do your own! I love doers!”

Sir Yuddy added, “That her planning skills is what I admire most about her. She’s an Excellent Planner. Imagine making an attempt to be the greatest in the world and getting everything right at first attempt. She’s good ”

“People don’t know how impressive this is. For this large amount to not clump together? Impressive af,” User, Lolami shared. 

Femi added, “Brand manager of gino go just dey smile for the next 6 months straight.”

Cooking on a Grand Scale 

Hilda during her record breaking attempt/image by GWR

The rules of the Guinness record are strict: every ingredient has to be measured and documented, and none of the food could go to waste. 

With precision, Baci stirred together a large list of ingredients. It includes 4,000 kilograms of washed basmati rice (the rice has to constitute about 80% of the total weight), 612 kilograms of oil, 800 kilograms of Gino Asun and peppered chicken cubes.

20g of Gino curry, 7 grams of Gino thyme, 300 kg of onion, garlic, and ginger blend, and 1,200 kilograms of fresh goat meat were also added. It took 1,200 kilograms of gas to keep the flames burning and create 16,000 plates. The rice was then served.

The massive jollof rice cooked by Hilda Baci and her team/ image by tobbinator

But the day had its own scary moments. When the pot was hoisted to be weighed, it broke. As it went up in the air, one side buckled, and the supporting legs collapsed. Luckily, the food did not spill. Afterwards, the jollof was divided into individual portions and distributed to large crowds. 

Videos from the day captured the electric atmosphere as chants, “Hilda, we want jollof” could be heard through the crowd as people from Lagos and beyond came to witness the moment. When it was time to serve, those who ate the meal attested to how delicious it was. 

“I didn’t realise it would be this hard,” said Baci.

“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 contributed to the achievement.”

The massive jollof rice cooked by Hilda Baci and her team/ image by tobbinator

From Cooking Marathon to Global Fame

For many, this could have been the crowning glory of a lifetime. But for Hilda, it is another chapter in a remarkable story that began two years ago; when she captured the world’s attention with her marathon cooking attempt. 

Back in May 2023, she stood in front of steaming pots for nearly four days straight in her quest to cook for 100 hours. Though Guinness ultimately confirmed her official time at 93 hours and 11 minutes, her achievement made her a household name across West Africa and the world. 

Beyond the glory was grit. Hilda endured exhaustion, blisters, and mental strain in trying to stay focused as the world watched her. Yet, through it all she kept stirring on. Her feat inspired a wave of record-breaking attempts across Africa, sparking a movement of people daring to try things they once thought was impossible. 

Hilda Baci with her first Guinness world record

From a young girl from Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria with big dreams, Hilda has grown into a woman who inspires millions. At just 26, she showed the world what it means to dream audaciously and won her first world record. Now at 28, she has proven that no dream is ever too big to achieve with her second world record. 

Hilda’s story is a reminder that every achievement is a stepping stone, not a finish line. With self-belief and courage, what once feels impossible can become the foundation for something even greater. 

And while Hilda’s record may not settle the eternal question of whether Nigeria or Ghana makes the best jollof, one thing is clear; when it comes to dreaming big, Nigerians lead on a large scale!