Do Lagos dads now have peace of mind considering that 27% of the time, babies they thought were theirs aren’t?

The megacity of Lagos is where most of the tests were carried out. That is exactly 73.1 percent compared to other parts of Nigeria.

Ayodele Johnson September 2, 2024

0 3 minutes read

The megacity of Lagos is where most paternity tests were carried out from July 2023 to June 2024.

Curious Lagosian dads seeking peace of mind test, which helps them determine for sure if a child they have been fathering all these while is truly theirs haven’t all met with good news, as a tight-knit tell-all DNA laboratory report has shown reviewing a year interval.

After gathering the necessary traffic data, which captures the reasons fathers ask for a personal paternity test in labs, where they are across Nigeria, and even the propensity of an ethnic group dominating the requests. These are the pieces that make up the 2024 report on DNA testing trends in Nigeria compiled by the ISO 9001 standard testing centre Smart DNA.

If clients wanted a DNA test that verifies a biological connection between two humans to show in a court of law, this Lagos-based lab offers that but in this year’s testing trends analysis it just released, the thoughts are exceptionally on family life, which brings back the focus on paternity test.

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Some data the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) got hold of is based on what trends have revealed. That captures specifically 27 percent of paternity tests carried out from July 2023 to June 2024 all returning as negatives, which will be a disappointment but sometimes relief for the dad depending on why they didn’t trust their female partner’s official narration of them being the dad in the first place.

The megacity of Lagos is where most of the tests were carried out. That is exactly 73.1 percent compared to other parts of Nigeria. After the findings in Lagos were split in two, the Mainland part of it was where 67.5 percent of paternity tests were performed while the upscale Island area was just 32.5 percent of the laboratory visits.

It is a privileged dive into the societal fabric the way Smart DNA’s Elizabeth Digia sees what the report has achieved. The Operations Manager said the trend shows carving up a unique window into the changing dynamics of Nigerian families and society through the power of research.

The high rate of negative paternity tests and the surge in immigration-related testing are particularly noteworthy. They reflect broader societal trends that merit further discussion, says the manager.

Why Lagos happened to be the main staging area for the tests done, according to Ms. Digia, raises important questions about accessibility and awareness of DNA testing services across Nigeria, although her company plans to engage other untapped demographics in the future.

Information on DNA testing for United States of America citizens who want to share their rights and privileges as an American must establish a genetic or gestational relationship with the child. That is a factor that might have probably led to Nigerian parents or dads helping to increase the volume of lab customers requesting DNA testing for their children. It shows that beyond the peace of mind, getting a positive paternity test can hamper emigration plans.

Steps to getting a paternity test done in at least five days. [Smart DNA] — **Some of the steps involved in getting a paternity test done in at least five days. [Smart DNA]**

Data gathered revealed that most children aged 0-five represented 54.0 percent of DNA tests. The dads who have been asking for these tests are from 41 years and above and they make up 45.6 percent of those captured in their category. They are followed by the 31-40 range, which makes 37.0 per cent. The reasons this latter group will ask for DNA reflects their severe need for clarity on whether they have been playing the right role.

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When child testing is based on gender terms, the male children were higher than the girls at 52.8 percent and 47.2 percent, respectively. So much appetite for answers when it comes to paternity tests but few have found relief is what the records show for now.

Ayodele Johnson

Ayodelé is a Lagos-based journalist and the Content and Editorial Coordinator at Meiza. All around the megacity, I am steering diverse lifestyle magazine audiences with ingenious hacks and insights that spur fast, informed decisions in their busy lives.