Nigeria’s culinary pride, Chef Hilda Baci, has once again etched her name in global history by setting a new Guinness World Record for the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice, weighing an astonishing 8,780 kilogrammes (19,356 lb 9 oz).
The feat, achieved in partnership with food brand Gino on Friday at Victoria Island, Lagos, was officially confirmed by Guinness World Records on Monday, September 15, 2025. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the record body announced: “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.”
Baci, who rose to stardom after her headline-grabbing cook-a-thon in 2023, once again turned the spotlight on Nigerian cuisine with this unprecedented culinary spectacle.
Ahead of the attempt, Guinness World Records had cheered her on with a lighthearted video message: “What’s cookin’? Best of luck to @hildabacicooks who’s attempting a new record for the largest serving of Nigerian-style jollof rice today.”
What began as a record attempt quickly transformed into a festival. Thousands of food lovers, fans, and celebrities thronged the venue, filling it with music, dancing, and excitement.
Nollywood star Funke Akindele not only cheered Baci on but also joined her at the giant cooking pot to stir the tomato base.
The First Lady of Ogun State, Bamidele Abiodun, was also on hand to lend support, alongside a long list of celebrities, including Kaffy, Tomike Adeoye, Enioluwa, Veekee James, Tacha, Papaya, Alex Unusual, and Spyro.
To make history, Baci relied on a specially designed pot with a capacity of 22,619 litres.
Initially, she planned to use 264 bags of basmati rice (about 5,278 kilogrammes) to fill 80 percent of the pot.
However, she adjusted her strategy to 200 bags, mindful of the weighing crane and scale, which could not exceed 20,000 kilogrammes, including the pot’s own weight.
Despite the adjustment, the effort produced 4,000 kilogrammes of rice—enough to serve an estimated 20,000 people.
Reflecting on the achievement, Baci explained: “The goal was that by the time I was done making 5,000 kilogrammes, I was hoping to achieve about 17,000 to 18,000 kilogrammes, including the pot. Right now, if I include the weight of the pot, that’s about 20,000.”
This triumph marks another milestone in Baci’s journey as a chef determined to showcase the richness of Nigerian food to the world. From her marathon cook-a-thon to this latest Guinness World Record, she continues to embody resilience, creativity, and the celebratory spirit of Nigerian culture.
In mid-May, the President travelled to Vatican City, attending the historic inauguration of Pope Leo XIV in Rome.
From June 28 to July 4, Tinubu undertook a landmark state visit to Saint Lucia, where he addressed CARICOM leaders in Castries.
From Saint Lucia, he proceeded to Brazil, arriving in Rio de Janeiro for the 17th BRICS Summit (July 4–7).
The Brazil visit continued into August, with President Tinubu returning for a two-day state visit.
This came after he visited Japan in the same month to attend the Tokyo International Conference on African Development, where he pitched Nigeria’s investment readiness to Japanese multinationals and met Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on maritime security and digital infrastructure.
Before he arrived in Japan, Tinubu and his entourage stopped over in Dubai, UAE, on August 15 and arrived in Yokohama early in the morning on August 18.
It was his second visit to the Gulf state within the year.
