Report of more children failing DNA test ignites fresh arguments
Since the recent report that one in every four children fail DeoxyRibonucleic Acid, DNA, test, made headlines, discussions around what most people refer to as paternity scam has been raging across the country.
The argument is also about how unfaithful most women have become in marriage- a development believed in some quarters to be sending many men to their early graves.
DNA, responsible for one’s paternity, is a molecule that contains the genetic instructions for the development, functioning, growth and reproduction of all known organisms and many viruses. It’s essentially the master blueprint for life.
However, this test which is one of the breakthroughs in molecular biology has caused a lot of heartaches to many families. This is because when the result is contrary to what the man expects, it is not only the men that are left shattered, the children involved are equally disoriented, especially when they are already adults.
According to the latest study by Smart DNA Nigeria, covering data from July 2024 to June 2025, 25 percent of paternity tests returned negative, showing only a slight drop from the 27 percent in 2024.
The study further revealed that firstborn children were the most likely to yield to exclusions, with firstborn sons topping the list at 64 percent. Smart DNA said the trend raises troubling questions about family structures, trust and social stability in urban Nigeria.
