Report: More Than One in Four Children Born to Nigerian Men Not Theirs

*DNA negativity rate rises 0.88% y-o-y

*‘Peace of mind’, emigration dominate reasons for testing

Emmanuel Addeh in Abuja

More than one in four children born to Nigerian men may not have been sired by them, a new report release by Smart DNA, a testing centre in Lagos, indicated at the weekend.

The 2024 report on DNA testing trends in Nigeria, covering July 2023 to June 2024, the centre said, seeks to shed light on societal dynamics, economic factors, and changing family structures in Nigeria.

But put side by a similar report by the testing centre last year, THISDAY checks showed that the number of children for which their supposed fathers were not actually responsible for, rose by less than 1 per cent, that is 0.88 per cent.

While the figure for the July 2022 to June 2023 period was 26.12 per cent for negative results (men who did not father their supposed children), for July 2023 to June 2024, it rose slightly to 27.0 per cent.

According to the report, 27 per cent of paternity tests conducted came back negative, indicating that more than one in four men tested are not the biological fathers of the children in question, NAN reported.

It also showed immigration tests surge, indicating that the  “Japa” trend was high, with a significant increase in DNA tests for emigration purposes, growing more than any other test type, as more Nigerians sought opportunities abroad.

The trend also suggested that a growing number of parents with dual citizenship were processing paperwork for their children’s emigration.

On regional dominance, the report showed that Lagos dominated, a reflection of economic disparity, with an overwhelming 73.1 per cent of all DNA tests conducted in Lagos, also showing a stark divide between Mainland (67.5 per cent) and Island (32.5 per cent).

This concentration highlighted the economic divide within Lagos and across Nigeria, raising questions about access to such services in other parts of the country.

It also showed that the Yoruba accounted for 53 per cent of tests, followed by Igbo (31.3 per cent) and Hausa 1.20 per cent.

The Operations Manager, Smart DNA, Elizabeth Digia, commenting on the report,  said: “These findings offer a unique window into the changing dynamics of Nigerian families and society. The high rate of negative paternity tests and the surge in immigration-related testing are particularly noteworthy.

“They reflect broader societal trends that merit further discussion and research. The concentration of testing in Lagos also raises important questions about accessibility and awareness of DNA testing services across Nigeria.

“As a company, we’re committed to expanding access to our services nationwide while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and confidentiality,’’ she said.

In all, the statistics showed that most of the children tested were aged 0-five (54.0 per cent), suggesting a preference for early paternity confirmation.
Men aged 41+ (45.6 per cent) and 31-40 (37.0 per cent) were most likely to request tests, potentially reflective of economic capabilities or increased paternity concerns in older men.

Also, it indicated slight gender bias in child testing as more tests were conducted on male children (52.8 per cent) than female children (47.2 per cent), reflecting a possible cultural preference for confirming paternity of male offspring.

According to the report, peace of mind dominated reasons for the DNA testing as the majority of tests (85.9 per cent) were conducted for ‘Peace of Mind’, rather than legal motivations.

In its previous report ( July 2022-June 2023), the centre said that 73.88 per cent of men who did relationship testing to verify the paternity of children came out positive as their biological fathers.

DNA or Deoxyribonucleic acid is the material that carries genetic information for the development and functioning of an organism and DNA testing provides information about an individual’s ancestral roots.

A DNA relationship test is the use of genetic profiles to determine whether an individual is the biological parent of another individual.
Also in the last report, the majority of tests (89.10 per cent) were conducted for ‘Peace of Mind’, followed by ‘Immigration’ (8.97 per cent), and ‘Legal’ (0.64 per cent).

“This suggests that individuals primarily seek DNA testing to confirm biological relationships for personal reasons rather than legal or immigration purposes,” it said.

It showed that men were the predominant initiators of contact, making up 86.44 per cent of the first contacts, compared to 13.56 per cent made by women.

“This indicates that men are more likely to have doubts about paternity or other relationships and take the initiative to seek testing,” it said in that report.