Smart DNA Nigeria has released its 2025 Annual DNA Testing Report, revealing that DNA testing increased to 13.1 per cent this year.

The study, analysing data from July 2024 to June 2025, also revealed startling insights into Nigeria’s family dynamics, including persistent paternity uncertainty and the profound impact of emigration on demand for DNA testing, according to the centre.

It also revealed that the paternity exclusion rate remains at 25 per cent as immigration testing surged. “One in four tests is still negative.

The 2025 data shows 25 per cent of paternity tests returned negative results, a slight decrease from 27 per cent in 2024, but maintaining the worrying trend where one in four presumed fathers are not the biological parent,” the centre said.

According to the report, firstborn children are significantly more likely to have negative paternity test results compared to non-firstborn children. It stated that while firstborn sons showed the highest discrepancy (64 per cent), firstborn daughters were also more likely to be biologically unrelated to their presumed fathers compared to later-born children.

The centre said: “Immigration testing explodes amid ‘Japa’ wave. Immigration-related DNA testing surged to 13.1 per cent of all tests, reflecting Nigeria’s unprecedented emigration trend. “The increase indicates growing numbers of dualcitizenship families processing documentation for children’s relocation abroad, with many parents securing foreign documentation as ‘second passport’ insurance.

“This consistent pattern raises serious questions about family structures, trust, and social arrangements in urban Nigeria.” The report exposes a dramatic gender imbalance, with men initiating nearly nine out of 10 paternity tests while women account for just 11.8 per cent.