Nearly one in four paternity tests conducted by a private DNA testing company in Nigeria found that the men tested were not the biological fathers of the children involved.
Smart DNA Nigeria said 23.6 percent of its tests in 2025/2026 returned negative results, a slight decline from 24 percent the previous year and 26.1 percent in 2023.
The Lagos-based firm cautioned that the figures do not indicate that one in four Nigerian children has a different biological father.
It noted that people who request paternity tests are not a random sample of the population. Most tests — 87 percent — were private “peace of mind” checks rather than those required for court cases or immigration purposes.
Men initiated nearly 79 percent of the inquiries, and almost half of the male clients were aged 41 or older. About three-quarters of the recorded cases came from Lagos, though demand is growing in other parts of the country.
