When Chef Hilda Baci hoisted that giant pot of jollof rice, she didn’t just break a world record – she ignited a conversation about what Nigerian food culture can be: a pillar of economic power, identity, nutrition, and global soft power.
Among critics, some asked: “Why a pot of rice and not rocket science?” But that’s a false choice. Because food is science. Food is business. And when properly scaled, it transforms societies.
Where the Data Point
Foodservice Growth
The Nigerian foodservice market was valued at about USD 9.26 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 16.77 billion by 2032, with a compound annual growth rate CAGR of 7.7% from 2026 to 2032, according to Verified Market Research, a global leader in research and consulting. Research and Markets has a different estimate that puts it at USD 11.09 billion by 2025, rising to USD 19.31 billion by 2030, growing at ~11.7%.
Read also: GWR confirms Hilda Baci’s Largest Serving of Nigerian Jollof Rice
Food & Drink Market Size
Nigeria’s overall food and drink market was worth approximately USD 54.1 billion in 2024 and is forecast to approach USD 99.0 billion by 2033, growing at about 6% annually, according to Business Research Insights.
Spices Export / Trade Leakages
In 2023, Nigeria’s exports of spices, ginger, turmeric and related products totalled about USD 49 million, according to Trend Economy. Nigeria also makes up roughly 2.4% of all world spice exports, with its exports growing at ~2.7% per year over the past decade.
Shea Processing Policy Shift
Though Nigeria supplies about 40% of the world’s raw shea nuts, it only captures ~1% of the value in the global shea-butter and cosmetics market. Government has recently banned the export of raw shea nuts to force local processing; policymakers anticipate this could generate USD 300 million in the short term and up to USD 3 billion by 2027.
Trade & Non-oil Export Moves
Non-oil exports rose ~19.6% in first half of 2025 (YoY), amounting to USD 3.225 billion, driven by cocoa, urea, and cashew nuts among others, according to Reuters, a news agency.
The Two Stories, Reconnected
Story One: Chef Hilda Baci attempted (and achieved) the Guinness World Record for the largest pot of jollof rice. That act was more than a spectacle; it was a message. Jollof rice is outshining biryani, paella, and pilau. Suya is street food royalty. Acha/fonio (often misspelt “fonio”) is being embraced as the next global supergrain, with early players like Aké Collective bringing it to export markets. If Nigeria sources more ingredients locally – rice, peppers, youth labour, spices, palm oil – then more value stays at home.
Story Two: Some Nigerians ridiculed the act. They argued that steel, science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), etc., are more worthy. But the response comes: every global cuisine brand – pizza, samosa, spaghetti – began local. They were once local meals. They scaled. They industrialised. They created industries, millions of jobs, and international brands. The criticism misses the big picture: scaling cuisine is scaling economy, trade, and identity.
Why Hilda’s Pot Mattered
Jobs in the ripple: Welders, food suppliers, ingredient farmers, cooks, photographers, security, drivers, content creators – a single record attempt generates dozens or more support jobs. Imagine this multiplied by dozens of “restaurant owners”, packaged sauce producers, and export brands.
Patriotism & Narrative: When elites (food celebrities, influencers, diaspora) celebrate local cuisine, it renews cultural pride and builds brand-Nigeria abroad.
Nutrition & Local Food Sovereignty: Dishes like jollof, acha, suya can be nutrition champions if ingredients are fresh, grown locally. They are also less processed, closer to traditional diets – helping reduce diet-related diseases.
Trade & Value Retention: Currently, much of Nigeria’s food input (rice, spices, oil) is imported. Scaling local sourcing and processing can reduce import bills, generate foreign exchange, and strengthen the Naira.
Strategic Path Forward
National Culinary Strategy
The government (Culture, Trade, Agriculture) should adopt a policy like “Cuisine Diplomacy” – brand Nigerian meals abroad, help diaspora chefs export, and support food tourism.
Pro-Value Addition Policies
Banning raw exports (like raw shea nuts) is a start. But it must be backed with incentives for processors: tax breaks, soft credit, support for packaging, standards, and labs.
Read also: Information Minister Mohammed Idris lauds Hilda Baci, pledges FG support
Standards & Infrastructure
Build food safety labs, cold-chains, and processing zones. Example: the Lagos Food Logistics Park, currently under construction, is meant to be the largest food-logistics facility in sub-Saharan Africa. It will reduce post-harvest loss, enhance storage, and improve supply chain reliability.
Branding & International Marketing
Turn iconic dishes (jollof, suya, okpa, amala, acha) into exportable brands. Use chefs, influencers, diaspora, and festivals. Leverage record attempts like Hilda’s as publicity.
Support Local Producers & Cooperatives
Invest in farmers growing rice, tomatoes, peppers; improve yields via inputs, extension; form aggregators to reduce cost; link to processors so raw value is captured.
The Bigger Picture
Nigeria’s GDP is about USD 246 billion nominal (2023/2024 estimates), and agriculture contributes ~21-23% of GDP.
In trade terms, in Q3 2023, non-oil exports in Nigeria accounted for just ~17.5% of total exports, still dominated by crude oil. If food & culinary exports rise, this mix shifts, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
Scaling Beyond Criticism
Chef Hilda Baci’s pot was not just a world record; it was a catalyst. It reminds us that food, identity and economy are intertwined. It reminds us that Nigeria does not have to import culture or prestige. We produce both.
If Nigeria thinks at scale, invests in food infrastructure, celebrates its cuisine, builds standards, and markets its flavours, then jollof will not just be a pot. It will be a brand. It will be trade. It will be a global currency.
Hilda didn’t cook for critics. She cooked to stir something far more potent: imagination, pride, and promise.
