By Ani Ruth

On 12 September, 2025, In Lagos, popular Nigerian Chef and Former Guinness World Record holder, Hilda Baci completed making the world’s largest pot of Jollof rice.

Hilda Baci, a 28 year old Nigerian Chef and former Guinness World Record holder, who had embarked on a longest cooking marathon, 2023, proceeded to set a new Guinness World Record which took place at Eko hotel and suites, Lagos.

This new record is the very first of its kind, according to Chef Hilda, it was a dream she had dreamt nearly two years ago.

“Now, with you, that dream is coming alive,” she wrote. “Because what is jollof without you to share it with?”. A quote she made before she kicked off with the world’s largest pot of jollof rice.

According to Chef Hilda Baci, whose former record created national pride, attempted this groundbreaking feat because, “We are the giant of Africa, and jollof is a food that everybody knows Africans for,” she said.

“It would make sense if we had the biggest pot of Jollof rice, it would be nice for the country.”

The giant pot which took nearly two months to customize by 300 people at Gbagada, was six metres wide and six metres tall and was able to cook the Jollof rice that fed tens of thousands. According to her the contents included; 4,000 kg of rice -200 bags of rice, 1200kg of tomato paste, 500 cartons of tomato paste, Lots of seasoning cubes, Onions 600kg, Water 6000 kg, Goat meat 168kg, Oil 700kg.

According to  a video, by an X user known as ChuksEricE, showed the pot after being used to cook for several hours, breaking while it was being lifted to be weighed. Some Netizens have provided reasonable reasons like it would be that it was wrongly customized while some complained it’s the engineer weighing and some states that it was the heating process which took several hours.

The event, sponsored by Gino, was successful with the assistance of Hilda Baci’s culinary team and attracted public sensation with the presence of popular celebrity like Enioluwa- who had also shown great support during her previous cookathon, Funke Akindele, Peller, Tomike Adeoye, Veekee Jamles, Bambam and other  prominent celebrity showed support.

According to Chef Hilda, this record was an attempt to “put Nigerian cuisine on the map” and “to inspire young African women to chase their dreams.” This ground-breaking event is yet to be recorded by the Guinness World Record