Fin-Venture: Breaking records, making waves

In the bustling landscape of Nigeria’s entrepreneurial spirit, few phenomena have captured the imagination quite like the surge in Guinness World Records attempts over the past two years.

It all kicked off with Hilda Baci, the Lagos-based celebrity chef known fondly as Hilda, who in May 2023 shattered the record for the longest cooking marathon by an individual. Clocking in at 100 hours and 4 minutes, her feat was no overnight success. For seven years, Hilda had juggled her role as a professional chef with relentless planning, pitching to sponsors and honing her craft. Brands like Airtel and Titan Trust Bank jumped on board, providing cash injections and visibility that turned her event into a national spectacle. What started as a personal dream quickly morphed into a blueprint for Nigerians chasing global recognition, blending content creation, charity drives, and savvy business plays.

This wave has seen Nigerians in droves turning to Guinness for everything from endurance tests to cultural showcases, often framing their bids around donations and community upliftment. Take Fola David, the Abuja doctor and artist who in July 2024 created the world’s largest drawing by an individual, a massive 1,125 square meter piece celebrating Nigerian heritage. His effort was meticulously planned over months, backed by Tolaram, a major consumer goods firm in Nigeria, which saw it as prime public relations real estate. Fola’s work not only highlighted local motifs but also drew crowds and media buzz, funneling proceeds toward art education initiatives.

Similarly, Tunde Onakoya, the chess prodigy from Lagos often called Tunde, made headlines in April 2024 with a 60-hour chess marathon against a US master in New York City’s Times Square. Aimed at raising funds for underprivileged kids through his Chess in Slums Africa program, Tunde’s attempt secured partnerships with global players like Goldman Sachs and Chess.com, pulling in donations that expanded his nonprofit’s reach to over 25 countries.

These well-orchestrated bids stand in contrast to more spontaneous ones, like Helen Williams’ 2023 yoga marathon for the longest time in child’s pose or Chancellor Ahaghotu’s marathon TV viewing session, which leaned heavier on social media hype than deep sponsorships. Yet even the quick-thinkers tapped into the trend, using live streams to rally online pledges for causes from health awareness to youth empowerment.

At its core, this records frenzy is a goldmine for Nigeria’s informal economy, where personal branding meets corporate opportunism. Hilda’s first attempt reportedly generated over N500 million in pledges and sponsorships, with brands leveraging her platform for product placements that boosted their market share in a tough economic climate. Post-record, her catering business exploded, landing high-profile gigs and a Netflix feature that cemented her as a culinary mogul.

Fola David’s Tolaram tie-up translated into broader exposure for the company’s brands like Indomie, while his art sales surged, turning a doctor’s side hustle into a viable enterprise. Tunde’s chess odyssey, targeting a $1 million fundraising goal, netted substantial corporate backing and elevated Chess in Slums into a scalable social venture, attracting international grants and school partnerships.

These successes have spurred a mini-industry of event planners, content creators, and fundraisers, injecting cash into local vendors from caterers to tech firms handling live broadcasts. For the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it underscores soft power gains, positioning the country as a hub of innovation amid global scrutiny.

Not every attempt shines without shadows, though. Public backlash has dogged some, especially where funds raised for charity seem to vanish into personal pockets or plans fizzle without transparency. Chef Dammy’s unauthorized 2023 cooking bid, which mimicked Hilda’s but ended in health scares and family disputes, drew sharp criticism for lacking structure and exploiting goodwill.

Similarly, a few reading marathons and dance challenges faced skepticism over unverified donations, with social media sleuths questioning if the hype was just a veil for influencer gains. Even Tunde’s high-profile run sparked minor murmurs about overhead costs eating into charity pots, though his track record quelled most doubts. These hiccups highlight risks in a system where Guinness applications cost upwards of N1 million, and not all bids get approved, leaving aspirants out of pocket. In Nigeria’s cutthroat business scene, the line between genuine philanthropy and self-promotion blurs, urging tighter accountability to sustain the momentum.

Hilda’s return to the spotlight in September 2025 exemplifies the trend’s evolution, blending spectacle with strategic economics. Teaming up for the World Jollof Festival, she aimed to cook the largest pot of Nigerian jollof rice, using 200 bags in a 22,619-litre custom vessel at Lagos’ Eko Hotels and Suites. Backed by the federal government through the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, the free event drew over 20,000 registered attendees, turning it into a massive tourism draw without ticket fees.

Sponsors like Gino and local rice brands poured in resources, eyeing the global jollof wars narrative to hawk products. Hilda framed it as inspiration for young African women, but the real win was amplifying her brand anew, with live streams and media coverage promising fresh catering deals and endorsements. Awaiting Guinness verification, this bid reinforces how Nigerians, for better or worse, wield records as launchpads for boundless ambition, proving the nation’s entrepreneurial fire remains unquenched.