Nigeria is grappling with a rising paternity crisis as fresh DNA test results reveal that one in four men tested are not the biological fathers of the children they are raising. This troubling discovery comes from the 2025 DNA Testing Report released by Smart DNA Nigeria, which reviewed cases between July 2024 and June 2025. Although the exclusion rate has dipped slightly from 27 percent last year to 25 percent in 2025, experts warn the figures highlight a deeper social and emotional challenge within Nigerian homes.
The report paints a painful picture of family realities, and according to Smart DNA’s Operations Manager, Elizabeth Digia, the organization’s role goes beyond providing accurate scientific results. She explained that families often struggle with the emotional toll of the findings, and part of their work is helping people navigate the personal crises that follow a DNA result.
One of the most striking revelations is that firstborn children are the most affected, particularly firstborn sons. The exclusion rate for firstborn boys stood at a staggering 64 percent, much higher than for their siblings, reinforcing long-held suspicions that firstborns face the highest risk of disputed paternity. Another notable trend is the influence of Nigeria’s “Japa” wave, the growing emigration movement, on the demand for DNA services. Immigration-related DNA tests accounted for 13.1 percent of cases during the period, as families seek documentation for dual citizenship and relocation abroad.
The data also shows that men overwhelmingly drive the demand for DNA testing, with 88.2 percent of cases initiated by fathers. Those above 41 years old made up nearly half of all requests, and most of the children tested were between the ages of zero and five. Lagos remains the center of DNA testing in Nigeria, with Lekki leading at 20.3 percent of tests, followed by Yaba, Ajah, Ikorodu, Surulere, and Ikeja. Ethnic distribution shows Yoruba families topping the list at 53 percent, followed by Igbo at 31.3 percent, while Hausa cases remain minimal at just 1.2 percent. Boys made up a slight majority of those tested at 53.8 percent.
Interestingly, the majority of the tests, about 83.7 percent, were carried out for personal reassurance, while only 1.4 percent were linked to legal disputes. This underlines that most Nigerians seeking DNA services are driven by private concerns rather than courtroom battles. Digia emphasized the urgent need for Nigeria to develop a policy framework to address the issue of paternity fraud, pointing to South Africa as a country where such guidelines are already in place. The report also called for integrating DNA testing into public health systems, premarital counselling, and family planning initiatives to reduce the impact of paternity disputes on society.
Smart DNA clarified that while the findings are alarming, they represent only the families who came forward due to suspicion, and therefore should not be taken as an absolute reflection of the entire Nigerian population. However, with the growing awareness and accessibility of DNA testing, the conversation around trust, family stability, and accountability in Nigeria’s social fabric has never been more urgent.