The country’s leading forensic laboratory, Smart DNA Nigeria, has released its 2025 Annual DNA Testing Report — and the findings are nothing short of explosive.
According to the report, DNA testing in Nigeria surged to 13.1 per cent between July 2024 and June 2025, driven largely by a spike in immigration-related cases linked to the ongoing Japa wave.Even more alarming is the continued high rate of paternity exclusions. The report shows that 25 per cent of tested fathers were not the biological parent of the child in question. Although slightly lower than the 27 per cent recorded in 2024, the latest figures confirm that 1 in 4 Nigerian men who take a DNA test still receive negative results.Smart DNA noted that firstborn children are the most affected, with 64 per cent of disputed firstborn sons found not to belong to their presumed fathers. Firstborn daughters also recorded higher negative results when compared to later-born children.
The firm also revealed that immigration-related DNA testing rose sharply to 13.1 per cent, reflecting the unprecedented rate of Nigerians relocating abroad and seeking dual citizenship or foreign documentation for their children.
“This pattern raises serious questions about family structures, trust, and social arrangements in urban Nigeria,” the report said.
The gender breakdown of test initiations is equally telling. Men initiated nearly nine out of every 10 paternity tests, while women accounted for only 11.8 per cent.
The Operations Manager of Smart DNA, Elizabeth Digia, described the trend as a wake-up call.Digia stressed the need for legal reform, healthcare integration and educational outreach, adding that many families still believe that physical resemblance is enough to determine paternity.
“Public health campaigns should normalise paternity discussions and integrate DNA testing into pre-marital and family health programmes. Our role is to provide certainty through accurate testing while encouraging sensitive handling of the life-changing information our clients receive,” she said.
