Child paternity fraud on the rise as 25% of children don’t belong to supposed fathers
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
All relationship Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) tests conducted at a facility between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023 show that paternity fraud is on the rise, as 25 per cent of children tested turn out not to belong their supposed fathers, according to Smart DNA, a leading DNA centre in Lagos which analysed its own data.
Abiodun Salami, a geneticist with DNA Centre for Paternity Test in Lagos, corroborated that figure, and also disclosed the facility currently handles 400 DNA tests monthly, up from a previous average of 100 tests monthly.
“The statistics are mind-blowing. You discover that almost 60 percent of the tests that people come to do are negative. In fact, 6 out of every 10 paternity tests turn out negative.
“Statistically, in DNA paternity testing, most times, in Nigeria, we see that six out of every 10 children might not be fathered by their biological father,” Salami told Premium Times.
DNA is the chemical at the centre of the cells of living things, which controls the structure and purpose of each cell and carries the genetic information during reproduction.
A DNA test (genetic testing) is a medical test that can identify mutations in one’s genes, chromosomes or proteins. These tests provide information about an individual’s ancestral roots.
A DNA relationship test is the use of genetic profiles to determine whether an individual is the biological parent of another individual.
Smart DNA report
The other report by Smart DNA was based on thousands of users, and it provides insight into the DNA testing trends across Nigeria.
The report shows
- The reasons why people seek testing, the demographics of those tested, and the outcomes of the tests.
- Men who came out positive as the biological fathers of children whose paternity they queried accounted for 73.88 per cent of tests.
- Negative results were 26.12 per cent of those tested.
Top five states accounting for tests
- Lagos – 82.89 per cent
- Oyo – 3.29 per cent
- Ogun – 3.07 per cent
- FCT – 2.63 per cent
- Rivers – 2.41 per cent
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Tests conducted mostly for personal reasons
“This heavy concentration in Lagos, particularly the Mainland (68.14 per cent) compared to the Island (31.86 per cent), is likely due to the location of Smart DNA’s office in Lagos,” the report said, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), per reporting by Daily Trust.
“Also likely due to the purchasing power of the state’s residents, and the high population density of the state.
The majority of tests (89.10 per cent) were conducted for “Peace of Mind”, followed by “Immigration” reasons (8.97 per cent), and “Legal” reasons (0.64 per cent).
“This suggests that individuals primarily seek DNA testing to confirm biological relationships for personal reasons rather than legal or immigration purposes.’’
Men initiate most DNA tests
Men were the predominant initiators of DNA testing contact, making up 86.44 per cent of the first contacts, compared to 13.56 per cent 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.
“Positive results indicating that the man tested is the biological father of the child, accounted for 73.88 per cent of tests, while negative results made up 26.12 per cent.
“This suggests that in the majority of cases, the men seeking testing are indeed the biological fathers, but in more than 1 in 4 cases, the tested father is not the biological father of the child.”
Ethnic group of those tested
- Yoruba – 61.23 per cent
- Igbo – 19.07 per cent
- Edo – 6.78 per cent
- Others – 12.08 per cent
“This may be reflective of the ethnic distribution in Lagos and the surrounding areas,” the report said.
Test by gender
- Male children – 56.62 per cent
- Female children – 43.38 per cent
The report explained this may suggest a cultural preference for confirming paternity of male offspring, although further research is needed to confirm this hypothesis.
Age range of children tested
- 0-5 years – 58.02 per cent
- 6-12 age group – 25.95 per cent
“This indicates that paternity tests are mostly done on children when they are younger rather than when they get older,” the report added.
Age range of men seeking test
- 31-40 years – 40 per cent
- 41-50 years – 23 per cent
“This age group is likely to have young children and may be in a financial position to afford the test.”
Smart DNA said the centre is committed to providing fully accredited DNA testing services to clients in accordance with the highest international standards.
It explained the report aims to shed light on the current trends in relationship DNA testing in Nigeria, contributing to a better understanding of this important aspect of society.