One in four paternity tests in Nigeria returns negative
A DW Africa report says 23.6% of paternity tests conducted by a Nigerian DNA testing company found no biological link between the men tested and the children.
Nearly one in four paternity tests conducted by a private DNA testing company in Nigeria returned negative results in 2025/2026, according to a DW Africa report. The report, citing data from Lagos-based Smart DNA Nigeria, said 23.6% of paternity tests conducted during the period found that the men tested were not the biological fathers of the children involved.
The figure represents a slight decline from 24% recorded in the previous year and 26.1% in 2023, but remains a notable proportion of the tests carried out by the company. However, Smart DNA cautioned against interpreting the findings to mean that nearly one in four Nigerian children has a biological father different from the man who believes he is the father. The company explained that its clients are not a random sample of Nigeria’s population. Rather, they are people who have specific reasons for seeking DNA tests, meaning the results cannot be applied to the entire Nigerian population.
According to the report, 87% of the tests were private “peace of mind” tests, rather than tests required for court proceedings or immigration purposes. Men accounted for nearly 79% of inquiries, highlighting their dominant role in initiating requests for paternity verification. The report also found that almost half of the male clients were aged 41 or older, suggesting that paternity concerns extend well beyond younger fathers.
Lagos dominated the company’s recorded cases, accounting for about three-quarters of all tests. The concentration reflects Lagos’ status as Nigeria’s largest city and commercial hub, although Smart DNA said demand for DNA testing is increasingly spreading to other parts of the country. The growing demand reflects increasing public awareness of genetic testing and its use in resolving questions surrounding biological parentage.
Paternity testing uses genetic information from a child and an alleged father to establish whether a biological relationship exists. A negative result means the tested man is excluded as the biological father. Smart DNA’s figures, however, represent only its own clientele and should not be treated as a national estimate of paternity disputes or non-paternity in Nigeria.
The company said the declining proportion of negative results—from 26.1% in 2023 to 24% and then 23.6% in 2025/2026—must also be understood in the context of the self-selected group of people who sought its services. The findings therefore provide an indication of the outcomes among people who chose to undergo testing, rather than evidence that 23.6% of Nigerian children have different biological fathers.
By: Joyce Owusu
