“GWR Certifies Hilda Baci As Record Holder For Largest 8,780kg Jollof Rice, Says She Fed Thousands Of ‘Hungry Nigerians’”

Guinness World Records (GWR) has officially confirmed Nigerian chef Hilda Baci’s record-breaking feat of cooking the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice, weighing 8,780 kilogrammes (19,356 lb 9 oz).

The announcement came on Monday via the organisation’s website and X handle, where it also humorously described the massive crowd that gathered at the event in Victoria Island, Lagos, as “hungry Nigerians.”

“A video posted to Hilda’s Instagram account shows the jollof rice being served up to all the hungry people (Nigerians) who’d gathered in support and had to suffer through all those amazing smells before finally being able to dig in,” GWR wrote.

Baci, whose real name is Hilda Bassey, achieved the milestone on Friday, September 12, in partnership with Gino Nigeria. The culinary marathon lasted nine hours and involved a specially designed pot with a capacity of 22,619 litres.

The dish, made with 4,000 kg of basmati rice (80 percent of the weight), 164 kg of goat meat, 220 kg of Gino Asun and peppered chicken cubes, and 600 kg of her signature pepper mix, was powered by 1,200 kg of gas. In the end, it produced 16,600 plates of steaming jollof, which were distributed freely to attendees.

Speaking on the record attempt, Baci admitted the challenge was tougher than expected.

“I didn’t realize it would be this hard. It’s been a challenge, but it’s incredibly satisfying to achieve this record. This belongs to all Nigerians who contributed to this moment,” she said.

The event was marked by music, dance, and communal celebration, with fans chanting, “Hilda, we want jollof!” as they eagerly waited to be served. Videos shared on social media captured the excitement and positive reviews of the dish’s rich taste.

The feat also reignited the long-standing Nigeria-Ghana jollof rivalry, with many Nigerians proudly hailing Baci’s achievement as proof of Nigeria’s culinary dominance.

Guinness World Records, in its official post, celebrated the accomplishment, writing:
“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.”