Smart DNA sheds light on child paternity fraud in Nigeria

SMART DNA, a leading DNA testing centre based in Lagos, has released a comprehensive data analysis of all relationship DNA tests conducted at its facility between July 1, 2022, and June 30, 2023.

This report, based on thousands of users, provides an insight into the DNA testing trends across Nigeria and reveals startling findings about the reasons people seek testing, the demographics of those tested and the outcomes of the tests.

In its analysis of the geographical spread of paternity, Lagos State had the highest percentage of tests, with 82.89 percent of the total, followed by Oyo State (3.29 percent), Ogun State (3.07 percent), FCT (2.63 percent) and Rivers State (2.41 percent).

On the analysis of the test type, majority of tests (89.10 percent) were conducted for ‘Peace of Mind’, followed by ‘Immigration’ (8.97 percent), and ‘Legal’ (0.64 percent), suggesting that individuals primarily seek DNA testing to confirm biological relationships for personal reasons, rather than legal or immigration purposes.

According to the report, men were the predominant initiators of contact, making up 86.44 percent of the first contacts, compared to 13.56 percent made by women. This indicates that men are more likely to have doubts about paternity or other relationships and take the initiative to seek testing.

On test results, the report said that positive results, indicating that the man tested is the biological father of the child, were found in 73.88 percent of tests, while negative results made up 26.12 percent.

This, according to the report, suggests that in the majority of cases, the men seeking testing are indeed the biological fathers, but in more than one in four cases, the tested father is not the biological father of the child.

The Yoruba ethnic group had the highest percentage of tests (61.23 percent), followed by Igbo (19.07 percent), Edo (6.78 percent), others (12.08 percent), while more tests were conducted on male children (56.62 percent) compared to female children (43.38 percent).

In addition, more tests were conducted on children less than five years old (58.02 percent), followed by the six to 12 age group (25.95 percent), indicating that paternity tests are mostly done on children when they are younger rather than when they get older.

According to the analysis, men between the ages of 31 to 40 (40 percent) and 41 to 50 (23 percent) conducted the most DNA tests, as these are the age groups that are likely to have young children and may be in a financial position to afford the testing.

The centre stated that Smart DNA is committed to providing fully accredited DNA testing services to clients in accordance with the highest international standards, adding that the report is to help contribute to a better understanding of DNA testing in Nigeria.