Firewood Rice Nigeria, a Lagos-based foodtech startup, has disclosed that Firewood Jollof Festival 2.0 is set to bring together 20,000 food lovers, chefs, and culture enthusiasts on Saturday, November 29, 2025, at Muri Okunola Park, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Themed “Unifying African Jollof,” this year’s edition aims to go beyond food, celebrating unity, tradition, and the shared cultural heritage of the African continent.
The announcement came during a press conference held at Waterside, Lekki Phase 1, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.
According to Firewood Rice Nigeria, the event promises a full day of food, music, and cultural showcases from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., powered by Access Bank and supported by Devon Kings, MTN Nigeria, and Nestlé Pure Life.
Building on the success of last year’s festival, which hosted over 10,000 guests, including the Guinness World Record Holder Hilda Baci and popular food blogger Sisi Yemmie, this year’s edition seeks to double attendance while expanding its cultural scope.
Speaking at the press conference, Chizoba Chukwueke, MD/CEO of Firewood Rice Nigeria, described the festival as a tribute to Africa’s culinary bond.
“The festival is about preserving cultural heritage and preserving the traditional way of cooking jollof rice from going extinct,” she said.
She explained that the goal is to create a “single, generally accepted recipe” that shows Africa’s diversity while strengthening its unity.
“The festival plans to expand beyond Nigeria, taking the event interstate next year, then to one African country, and possibly to London in the future,” she revealed.
Chukwueke added that this year’s edition would bring together chefs from across the continent.
“Yes, so we’re going to be working with chefs this year from the African countries because we’re going to say we’re creating something called West African Jollof.
“They have to be present. They have to tell us what the major ingredient is. They have to be part of the process. So, yes, you’re going to be seeing a lot of, you know, chefs from the other African countries,” she said.
For Chibuzor Chukwueke, marketing director of Firewood Rice Nigeria, the target is ambitious but achievable.
“We had over 10,000 people coming to the festival last year, and we’re hoping to double that number this year, and that cannot be possible if the media houses help us put out the word out there,” he said.
“We’re expecting celebrities from different parts of the country to be here… chefs from Ghana, Senegal, and Nigeria will also be at the festival. So it’s a star-studded event, and I’m sure everybody who’s going to attend is definitely going to love the festival.”
Beyond the competition and culinary flair, the Firewood Jollof Festival serves as a platform to bridge cultural differences through a shared love for jollof rice, a meal deeply rooted in African identity.
Usually referred to as the “Jollof Wars,” the friendly rivalry between countries like Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia over whose version tastes best has become a defining part of West African pop culture.
Recent competitions across the continent show this passion runs deep. The Gambia won the 2025 West Africa Food Festival (WAFFEST) in Accra, Senegal triumphed at CANEX Jollof Wars 2.0, while Nigeria claimed victory at the Jollof Festival Atlanta 2025.
According to UNESCO, “Senegal Jollof stands out as the best Jollof,” a statement that continues to stir friendly debates across social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter).
At its core, the festival is about connection. Despite variations in recipes and preparation, jollof rice across Africa shares essential traits, rice simmered in a tomato-based sauce, rich in spices and flavour, and served at every major celebration. As the popular saying goes, “A party without jollof is just a meeting.”
Adding to the excitement, Voke Emeje, assistant brand manager of Devon Kings, described the company’s partnership with Firewood Rice Nigeria as a perfect match.
“It’s a viable partnership in terms of the fact that, of course, when you’re making firewood jollof, you need your vegetable oil. But aside just the nourishment and aside from the unification of jollof across the country and across Africa, we also want to be part of building and making memories.
“And that is exactly what firewood jollof is going to be doing. And it perfectly aligns with our brand, our positioning, which is taste that binds,” she said.
With the promise of live music, dance, food tastings, and cross-cultural collaborations, the Firewood Jollof Festival 2.0 is shaping up to be more than a celebration of food, it’s a celebration of Africa’s identity, unity, and creativity.
