LAGOS-(MaraviPost)-Nearly one in four paternity tests carried out by a private DNA testing company in Nigeria found that men tested for paternity were not biological fathers.
Smart DNA Nigeria said 23.6% of its paternity tests in 2025/2026 returned negative results, slightly down from 24% the previous year and 26.1% in 2023.
However, the Lagos-based company warned that the findings do not mean that one in four Nigerian children has a different biological father.
It said that people who seek paternity tests are not a random sample of Nigeria’s population.
Most tests — 87% — were private “peace of mind” tests rather than tests required for court cases or immigration.
Men initiated nearly 79% of inquiries, while almost half of male clients were aged 41 or older.
About three-quarters of the company’s recorded cases came from Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city and commercial hub, although demand for DNA testing is also now growing in other parts of the country.
Source: DWAfrica
