Nigeria is now ranked as the 2nd highest country globally for paternity fraud after Jamaica

A recent report has ranked Nigeria as the second highest country globally for paternity fraud, with Jamaica holding the top spot. 

The findings, based on data from DNA testing centers and studies conducted between 2020 and 2025, highlight a troubling trend in Nigeria, where approximately 25-30% of paternity tests reveal that men are not the biological fathers of children they believed to be theirs. This places Nigeria just behind Jamaica, which reports a paternity fraud rate of around 34.6%.

According to Smart DNA, a leading genetic testing center in Lagos, their 2025 Annual DNA Testing Report, covering cases from July 2024 to June 2025, found that 25% of paternity tests in Nigeria disproved assumed fatherhood, with firstborn children, particularly sons, being the most affected. The report also noted a surge in immigration-related DNA testing, as families seeking to relocate abroad increasingly require paternity verification for documentation. Elizabeth Digia, Operations Manager at Smart DNA, described the statistics as "troubling for family stability" and called for legal reforms to address paternity fraud, noting that Nigeria currently lacks specific laws to protect men who discover they have been raising non-biological children.

The high rate of paternity fraud in Nigeria has been attributed to a complex mix of factors. Experts point to cultural pressures, such as societal expectations around marriage and procreation, as well as economic hardships and limited access to affordable DNA testing. Dr. Abasi Ene-Obong, CEO of Stack Diagnostics, emphasized that while the 30% statistic often cited may be subject to sampling biases, it reflects a significant issue. He noted that many Nigerians are unaware of where to access paternity testing or view it as prohibitively expensive, which allows cases to go undetected.

In contrast, countries like the United Kingdom and Canada report significantly lower paternity fraud rates, at 1.6% and 2.8%, respectively, largely due to greater access to DNA testing and stricter legal oversight. In Nigeria, the absence of comprehensive legal frameworks addressing paternity fraud leaves affected men with limited recourse, often leading to emotional distress and family breakdowns. Legal practitioner Maryam Bello highlighted that under Nigerian law, children born within a valid marriage are presumed legitimate, but DNA testing can challenge this presumption through proper legal procedures.