Lagos: Three out of four Nigerian men tested positive for being biological fathers, according to Smart DNA Nigeria’s 2025/2026 Annual DNA Testing Report released on Sunday. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of relationship DNA testing patterns in Nigeria.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the findings reveal that approximately one in four paternity tests conducted by Smart DNA Nigeria returned negative results during its 2025/2026 reporting period. This indicates that 23.6 per cent of the recorded paternity test outcomes were negative, meaning the tested man was not the biological father. The report noted a marginal decline in negative paternity outcomes from 24.0 per cent in the previous year and 26.1 per cent in 2023.
The report cautioned against interpreting the figure as evidence that one in four Nigerian children is not biologically related to the presumed father. It emphasized that the clients were individuals who had already developed doubts or reasons to seek DNA testing.
Smart DNA’s Marketing Manager, Chukwudi Eze, highlighted that the focus should not only be on the ‘one in four’ negative results but also on the fact that three out of every four men tested were confirmed as the biological fathers. Eze noted that most men who sought testing were ultimately confirmed as biological fathers, despite their initial doubts.
The report also revealed that 87 per cent of DNA tests conducted were ‘Peace of Mind tests’, representing private, self-initiated tests undertaken outside legal, immigration, or court proceedings. This proportion increased from 83.7 per cent in the preceding reporting period, indicating that personal concerns and the desire for certainty largely drove DNA testing in Nigeria. Immigration-related tests accounted for 9.7 per cent, legal tests 1.9 per cent, avuncular tests one per cent, and prenatal testing represented 0.4 per cent of recorded cases.
Smart DNA Operations Manager, Elizabeth Digia, emphasized the need to handle such cases with dignity and avoid sensationalising the results. She noted that many clients approached the centre seeking answers to personal questions they found difficult to discuss with others.
The report further showed that older men accounted for the majority of male clients seeking DNA tests, with men aged 41 years and above representing 48 per cent of age-classified male records. Men aged between 31 and 40 accounted for another 35.8 per cent, meaning that men above 30 constituted 83.8 per cent of the male testing population. Additionally, 59.5 per cent of tested individuals were children aged five years and below, a figure that remained virtually unchanged from the previous reporting period.
Geographically, Lagos accounted for 75.1 per cent of all classified cases, rising from 69 per cent in the preceding period. Lekki recorded the highest number of named locations in Lagos, followed by Ajah, Ikorodu, Yaba, and Ikeja. Meanwhile, Lagos Mainland accounted for 61.6 per cent of Lagos cases with specific location classifications. Outside Lagos, Ogun recorded the highest testing activity, followed by Delta, Oyo, Rivers, Enugu, Edo, Abuja, Imo, and Kwara. The report indicated an increase in testing activity outside Lagos, suggesting a growing awareness and demand for DNA testing across other parts of the country.
The ethnic distribution of clients was led by Yoruba at 52.6 per cent, followed by Igbo at 29.1 per cent, Edo at 5.8 per cent, and a combined 5.4 per cent for Delta, Ijaw, Isoko, Urhobo, and Itsekiri groups. The Hausa accounted for one per cent. Smart DNA stated that these figures reflected its geographical and client base rather than differences in paternity behaviour among ethnic groups.
The company warned against generalizing its findings to the entire Nigerian population, stressing that its clients were not a random sample of Nigerian families. It stated that the 23.6 per cent negative result represented its testing population, a group already having doubts about biological relationships, and therefore could not be used to estimate the prevalence of non-paternity across Nigeria. The report urged the public to rely on evidence rather than rumours or sensational claims when discussing paternity testing and family relationships in Nigeria.