One of the leading DNA testing centre in Lagos, Smart DNA, has released its 2024 report which unveiled a damning and astonishing findings that shed light on societal dynamics, economic factors, and changing family structures in Nigeria.

Smart DNA testing results covered July 2023 to June 2024 indicate trends in Nigeria that pointed to the fact that 27% of assumed fathers are not the biological father of their children as paternity uncertainty remained high.

The report specifically noted that 27 per cent of paternity tests conducted were negative, pointing to a direction that more than one in four men tested are not the biological fathers of the children in question.

It also showed Immigration Tests surge as more Nigerians are seeking opportunities abroad thus, increased the level of “Japa” trend and a corresponding high demand DNA test for immigration purposes more than any other test type.

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

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

The report also showed that the Yoruba ethnic group accounted for 53 per cent of tests, followed by Igbo (31.3 per cent), with Hausa at only 1.20 per cent.

In her remarks on the report, Elizabeth Digia, Operations Manager at Smart DNA, noted that the high rate of negative paternity tests and the surge in immigration-related testing are particularly noteworthy, adding that they also reflected broader societal trends that merit further discussion and research.

According to Digia; “These findings offer a unique window into the changing dynamics of Nigerian families and society. The concentration of testing in Lagos also raises important questions about accessibility and awareness of DNA testing services across Nigeria.

The statistics of the report showed that most of the children tested were aged 0-five (54.0 per cent), indicating a preference for early paternity confirmation just as 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.

The report of the Smart DNA also showed 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), showing a possible cultural preference for confirming paternity of male offspring.

It also stated that peace of mind dominated reasons for the DNA testing as the most of the tests (85.9 per cent) were conducted for ‘Peace of Mind’, as against legal motivations.