Lagos: Nigerian chef jollof rice record has been confirmed after Hilda Baci prepared the world’s largest pot of the popular West African dish in Lagos. Guinness World Records has verified that the dish weighed 8,780 kilograms.
Baci spent nine hours cooking the record-breaking jollof rice, but the effort almost failed when the custom-made steel pot collapsed twice during the weighing process. A crane had been used to lift the giant vessel, but despite the mechanical failures, none of the rice was lost.
The recipe required 4,000 kilograms of rice, 500 cartons of tomato paste, 600 kilograms of onions, and 168 kilograms of goat meat. The pot itself was specially built over two months by a team of 300 workers and had a capacity of 23,000 litres.
Baci has said that the achievement is the result of teamwork and national pride. She told that the accomplishment represents unity, strength, and the cultural importance of jollof rice in West Africa.
Thousands of spectators gathered in Lagos to witness the record attempt, and individual portions of the dish were later shared among attendees and passersby.
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Ten chefs assisted Baci, wearing red uniforms and using long wooden paddles to stir the enormous dish. Despite the pressure of the record attempt, her team managed to complete the cooking within the planned timeframe.
Baci had already gained fame in 2023 after holding the Guinness World Record for the longest cooking marathon at 93 hours and 11 minutes. Although that record has since been surpassed, her new achievement strengthens her status as one of Nigeria’s most recognised chefs.
This accomplishment adds to Baci’s growing reputation, as she had also won a national jollof rice competition in 2021. Her latest world record further highlights the role of food in uniting communities and celebrating African culture.
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