A new report has shown that paternity fraud is still a serious case in Nigeria, revealing that one in four Nigerian men are not the biological parents of their supposed children.
Past reports had shown that there is a high level of paternity fraud in Nigeria, with many always shying away from DNA tests.
In a 2025 Annual DNA Testing Report, released by Smart DNA Nigeria, it disclosed that 25 per cent of presumed fathers tested were not the biological parents of the children in question.
According to the country’s leading testing centre, the findings covered data from July 2024 to June 2025.
Smart DNA Nigeria, however, said the current report is a slight drop from 27 per cent in 2024.
Firstborn children were disproportionately affected, with firstborn sons showing the highest discrepancy rates at 64 per cent, the report indicated.
The study also documented a sharp rise in immigration-related DNA testing, which made up 13.1 per cent of all cases, a surge linked to the “Japa” phenomenon, Nigeria’s wave of mass emigration.
Families preparing documents for relocation or dual citizenship increasingly turned to DNA testing to prove biological ties demanded by foreign governments.
Gender patterns revealed that men were overwhelmingly the drivers of DNA inquiries, initiating 88.2 per cent of tests compared to just 11.8 per cent by women. Nearly half of these men were over 41 years old, a trend analysts connect to the financial stability required to pursue testing and long-standing doubts resolved later in life.
Children under five were most frequently tested, accounting for 58.6 per cent of cases, suggesting a growing preference for settling questions of paternity early. Male children were tested more often than female children, at 53.8 per cent versus 46.2 per cent, reflecting cultural concerns around inheritance and lineage.
Geographically, Lagos dominated testing, with 69 per cent of all cases. While Mainland testing declined, the Island, particularly Lekki, saw significant growth. Yoruba clients made up 53 per cent of all cases, followed by Igbo at 31.3 per cent, with minimal participation from Hausa families at 1.2 per cent.
The report further noted that 83.7 per cent of clients sought testing for personal reassurance rather than legal obligations, with only 1.4 per cent being court-mandated. In most cases, families tested only one child, pointing to targeted suspicions rather than general doubt.
According to The Sun, Operations Manager, Smart DNA, Elizabeth Digia, said the findings reflect more than just scientific data. “These statistics tell us something profound about trust, relationships, and the legal and economic realities of Nigerian families today,” she noted, emphasising the need for sensitivity in handling the life-changing outcomes of DNA testing.
The report has again brought to the front burner the clamour for a legislation making DNA compulsory in the country.