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PATERNITY FRAUD: ONE IN FOUR NIGERIAN CHILDREN NOT BIOLOGICAL FATHEES
One in every four paternity tests conducted in Nigeria returned negative results in the past one year, implying that 1 in every 4 presumed fathers are not the biological parents.
This is according to the 2025 Annual DNA Testing Report released on Monday by Smart DNA Nigeria, the country’s leading DNA testing centre.
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The report, covering July 2024 to June 2025, shows that 25% of paternity tests excluded presumed fathers, a marginal drop from 27% recorded in 2024.
The findings highlight a persistent paternity crisis, with firstborn children most likely to have negative results, as firstborn sons account for the highest discrepancy at 64% according to the report.
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Smart DNA also reported a sharp rise in tests linked to migration.
According to the report, immigration-related DNA tests grew by 13.1%, reflecting the impact of the “Japa” wave, as families increasingly seek DNA verification for dual citizenship and relocation processes.
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The study further revealed a wide gender imbalance in test requests with men initiating 88.2% of all tests, while women accounted for just 11.8%.
Older men aged 41 and above led the demand, representing 45.5% of clients, while most tests involved children aged 0–5 years (58.6%).
Geographically, Lagos State remained the country’s testing hub with 69% of all cases, though demand shifted within the state—from 67.5% on the Mainland in 2024 to 59.4% this year—while the Island increased to 40.6%. Other findings showed Lekki (20.3%), Yaba (15.8%), Ajah and Ikorodu (10.5% each).
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Ethnic distribution showed Yoruba clients dominating at 53%, followed by Igbo at 31.3%, while Hausa accounted for just 1.2%.
The report found that the vast majority of tests—83.7%—were carried out for “peace of mind”, not legal purposes, with court-mandated tests making up only 1.4%.
It also noted that 80% of families tested only one child, suggesting targeted rather than general suspicion.
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Male children were slightly more tested (53.8%) than females (46.2%), reflecting cultural concerns around lineage and inheritance.
“These findings are not just about science; they tell us something profound about trust, relationships, and the legal and economic realities of Nigerian families today,” said Elizabeth Digia, Operations Manager at Smart DNA.
The report recommended legal reforms to address paternity fraud, integration of DNA testing into public health programmes, and educational outreach to dispel misconceptions about DNA testing in Nigeria.
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