Lagos: The country’s leading DNA testing centre, Smart DNA Nigeria, on Sunday released its 2025 Annual DNA Testing Report, revealing that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) testing surged to 13.1 percent in 2025.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, DNA is the genetic information inside the body’s cells that helps make people who they are. A DNA paternity test determines the biological father of a child using genetic materials. The study, analysing data from July 2024 to June 2025, also revealed insights into Nigeria’s family dynamics, including persistent paternity uncertainty and the impact of emigration on DNA testing demand. It also revealed that the paternity exclusion rate remains at 25 percent as immigration testing surged.
The 2025 data shows 25 percent of paternity tests returned negative results, a slight decrease from 27 percent in 2024 but maintaining the trend where 1 in 4 presumed fathers are not the biological parent. According to the report, firstborn children are significantly more likely to have negative paternity test results compared to non-firstborn children. It said that while firstborn sons showed the highest discrepancy (64 percent), firstborn daughters were also more likely to be biologically unrelated to their presumed fathers compared to later-born children.
Immigration-related DNA testing surged to 13.1 percent of all tests, reflecting Nigeria’s emigration trend. The increase indicates growing numbers of dual-citizenship families processing documentation for children’s relocation abroad, with many parents securing foreign documentation as ‘second passport’ insurance. This pattern raises questions about family structures, trust, and social arrangements in urban Nigeria. The report exposes a gender imbalance, with men initiating nearly nine out of 10 paternity tests while women account for just 11.8 percent. This disparity underscores gender roles where men predominantly seek paternity confirmation, often after years of doubts.
According to expert analysis, these findings are not just about science; they tell us something about trust, relationships, and the legal and economic realities of Nigerian families today. The Operations Manager at Smart DNA, Elizabeth Digia, said the report calls for urgent action on multiple fronts such as Legal Reform, Healthcare Integration, and Educational Outreach. Nigeria lacks specific paternity fraud laws, unlike South Africa, leaving men with little legal recourse when discovering non-paternity after years of financial responsibility. Public health campaigns should normalise paternity discussions and integrate DNA testing into pre-marital and family health programs. Misconceptions persist, including beliefs that DNA testing is only for wealthy families or that physical resemblance guarantees paternity. ‘Our role is to provide certainty through accurate testing while encouraging sensitive handling of the life-changing information our clients receive,’ Digia said.