Available statistics have shown that three out of ten Nigerian men are not the biological fathers of their children. Globally, Nigeria is ranked second highest in paternity fraud, with Jamaica occupying the first position.
Knowing one’s origin is a fundamental right for an individual, as paternity is a question of identity that can help shape a person’s personality. There is this popular saying that the earlier the better,” so the earlier the paternity of a child is known, the better.
Many homes are broken, destinies shattered, resources wasted, and precious time wasted. Many are living in shame, and some have developed health challenges due to the emotional trauma they suffered arising from discovering the paternity of their children. In extreme cases, suicide has been committed as a result of a paternity test that reveals the true biological father of a child.
Experts have confirmed that many Nigerian men do not know that they are not the biological fathers of their children, emphasizing that firstborns are the most affected. According to the Vanguard newspaper, a Nigerian man discovered that all four boys are not his biological children after insisting on a DNA test.
The Vanguard newspaper also reported on another case in which a complete stranger, who had just returned from Germany after 22 years claimed a 22-year-old man who had just graduated from university. The man claimed that the boy’s mother was pregnant before she got married and also before he left the country. The paternity test carried out favoured the stranger.
A banker in Lagos State committed suicide when he discovered that he was not the biological father of all his three children.
It takes a young man to threaten his mother with a cutlass before she finally discloses the identity of his biological father to him as a person. We are mocking the young man and calling him a bastard. This incident happened in Rivers State.
Some of these ugly experiences could have been avoided if prenatal paternity tests were carried out even before the child is born.
Men are More Vulnerable
Proving paternity isn’t as simple as when a woman fingers a particular man to be responsible for her pregnancy and the man accepts it. It goes beyond that, as rampant cases of denials and disputes
and counterclaims of paternity have been making the rounds. Though men are more vulnerable to paternity claims, whenever a woman’s DNA does not match her child’s DNA, she faces unprecedented ridicule by both her husband, the husband’s family, and the public at large.
Some will accuse her of pumping water into her womb and then buying a child from a baby factory” just to deceive her husband and save herself from disgrace. Homes have been ruined as a result of this mismatch. People began to consider their actions when the news of an East African woman, Elizabeth Bwalya Mwewa, broke. The Zambian nurse confessed to swapping about 5,000 babies over a period of 12 years just for the fun of it.
Some Reasons for paternity dispute in Nigeria
Before listing prenatal paternity test locations in Nigeria, let’s look at some of the reasons why
Paternity disputes thrive.
1. Some men believe they can’t marry a woman without her being pregnant. The pregnancy is a precondition for marriage.
2. In most Nigerian communities, a childless marriage is not considered a blessed marriage.
3. Another factor is the high emphasis on your own biological child.
4. Prevalence of premarital sex/fornication and other sexual pervasions, including adultery.
5. Some promiscuous men consider dating married women safer than single ladies.
6. Another important reason is rape.
7. Women who keep multiple sexual relationships In most cases, as soon as she becomes pregnant, any man who accepts responsibility for the pregnancy is considered the father of the child; he might not be the biological father of the child.
8. Paternity sometimes might be difficult to figure out owing to mistakes from hospitals or deliberate swapping of babies; a case in point is that of the Zambian nurse.
What, then, is a prenatal paternity test?
Prenatal Paternity Test
According to Salami Abiodun, a senior geneticist with the DNA Centre for Paternity Test Nigeria, DNA paternity testing (also known as parentage testing) uses DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) to prove or disprove a relationship between a child and an alleged father.
The prenatal paternity test is non-invasive. It involves taking a blood sample from the alleged father and the mother to conduct a fetal cell analysis. The result is used to compare the fetal cells present in the mother’s bloodstream to those of the alleged father. The test is more than 99% accurate.
The prenatal paternity test can be invasive as well, but the non-invasive test is less complicated than the invasive test.
Test Locations in Nigeria
You can easily save yourself from future embarrassment or put an end to that suspicion or doubt in your mind by visiting the centers where prenatal paternity tests can be done; you can equally share this information with someone in need of such locations.
The fact is, there are few laboratories in Nigeria where these tests can be done, and the majority of these laboratories are located in the southern part of the country. Though some service providers, like the Nigeria Paternity Test, have centres across the country,
It is worthy of note that not all DNA centres carry out prenatal paternity tests. This further reduces the number of centres where prenatal paternity services can be obtained. In this post, I targeted the prenatal paternity test location, though other DNA centres are also added.
i. DNA CENTER FOR PATERNITY TEST
Located at Oluwatobi House, 73 Allen Avenue, 100281, Ikeja, Lagos State.
Contact: 0705-999-9333, 0705-999-9444, or 0816-001-0036.
They’re considered one of the most trusted DNA paternity test services in Nigeria.
Website: https://dna-centre-for-paternity-test-nigeria.business.site/
ii. NIGERIA PATERNITY TEST OR PATERNITY TEST NIGERIA
They are located all over the country but their head office is at 79 Bamgbose Street Lagos Island.
Contact: 0807-300-8967, 0802-146-8075, 0909-816-5525.
Website:Â https://dnatestnigeria.com/
iii. DNA DIAGNOSTIC CENTER(DDC)
Located at 1679 Karimu Kotun street, Lagos Island.
Contact: 0909-864-5089.
N/B: These establishments offers wide range of services, prenatal paternity test is just one of
their numerous services.
Website:Â https://dnacenter.com/nigeria/
Other DNA Test Locations in Nigeria
The following is a list of other reputable DNA test services in Nigeria that presently do not offer prenatal paternity test services, but you can visit them for other DNA services such as immigration, legal, relationship, etc.:
1. CLINA-LANCET LABORATORIES:
Located at No. 3 Babatunde Jose off Adetokunbo Ademola in Victoria Island, Lagos State,
Contact: 0704-618-1382, 01-700131-339.
They can be located in other cities in Nigeria, including Port Harcourt, Ibadan, and Warri. They
are also present in about 14 African countries.
Website: https://www.cerbalancetafrica.ng/
2. SYNLAB:
Formerly known as Pathcare in various places across the country, Their Lagos address is 9A/B Egbeyemi Street off Coker road, Ilupeju, Lagos State. Other places where you can find SYNLAB include Ilorin, Abuja,Benin, Oyo, Port Harcourt, etc.
Contact: Call 0810-460-7655 for locations within and outside Lagos State.
Website:Â https://www.synlab.com.ng/
3. easyDNA Nigeria
Is located at No. 2 Omilani Street, Lagos Island, Lagos State.
Contact: 0809-728-8704
Website: https://www.easydnanigeria.com.
4. BODE DU LABORATORY TECHNOLOGY LIMITED
Plot 45 Oyibo Adjarho Street, Lekki phase 1, Lagos.
Contact: 0803-946-1596, 01-270-4789, 0803-546-6923.
5. MECURE HEALTHCARE CENTER
Located at Debo industries compound, Apapa- Oshodi Expressway, Lagos State. They are also located at Ibadan, Lekki, Abuja, Aba, and Umuahia.
Contact: 0700-063-2873, 070-00MECURE.
Website: https://mecure.com.ng/
6. DNA LABORATORY:
No. 5 Danja Road, Unguwar Sarki, Kaduna, Kaduna State.
Contact: 0809-928-2985, 0803-788-0765.
Website: https://dnalabs.com.ng/
7. RAYSCAN DIAGNOSTICS:
Plot 4, New Court Road, Gyadi Gyadi, Kano State.
Contact: 0806-551-8070.
Website: https://rayscandiagnostics.com/
8. IDENTI GENE
Located at Plot 578, Cadastrial Zone, B09, Kado Estate, Abuja.
Contact: 0803-700-1566.
9. VINETTE HOSPITAL:
They are located at 14Gindiri Street along Wushishi Street, Garki, Abuja.
Contact: 0803-320-7432.
Website: https://vinette-hospital-maternity-ltd.business.site/
10. MEDICHEM LABORATORY
Located at No. 1 Udoji Street, off Edinburg Street, Enugu East, Enugu State.
Contact: 0803-342-7483, 0809-154-3940.
Website: https://www.medichemlabs.com/
11. WILDEC DIAGNOSTIC CENTER
No. 32, Edinburg Road, Enugu Ogui New layout, Enugu State.
Contact: 0816-275-0039, 0803-374-5624, 0705-077-7559.
12. IYKENSON MEDICAL & DIAGNOSTICS
Road 2, Mofor Estate Unizik Temporary Site, Awka, Anambra State.
Contact: 0803-771-1643, 0814-127-2583, 0806-338-6657.
Website:Â http://www.iykensonmedical.com/
13. CARECREST SPECIALIST HOSPITAL AND FERTILITY CENTER
They are located at Okene Road, 1 Agbaja Close, Lokoja, Kogi State.
Contact: 0814-853-6160.
https://carecresthospital.com/
14. VICSLY MEDICAL LABORATORY
No. 60 Adesuwa Grammar School Along Sapele Road, Benin, Edo State.
Contact: 0803-567-3371.
15. THE WOMEN’S HEALTH AND ACTION RESEARCH CENTRE (WHARC)
KM 11, Lagos Benin Expressway Benin City Edo State.
Contact: 08023347828, 0805 126 8082.
16. HERITAGE COMPREHENSIVE HOSPITAL:
No. 57Anfani Road off Ring Road, Ibadan.
Contact: [email protected], 0805-537-1718.
17. DEOCHARIS MEDICAL DIAGNOSTIC:
They are located at Kuforiji Olubi Junction, Opposite Arigbabuwo House, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Contact: 0802-468-0065
18. SCANEX DIAGNOSTIC:
No. 12 Osiri/Wetland Road, Ekeki, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Contact: 08083216434, 0703 782 6236.
19. FRONTLINE LABORATORY:
No. 37 Brook Street, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.
Contact: 0803 939 4431.
20. LILY HOSPITAL:
Located along Deco Road Warri, Delta State.
Contact: 0802-309-5614, 0805-502-2173, 080-520-1186.
21. INTERNATIONAL DIAGNOSTIC CENTRE:
No. 5 Mummy B Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Contact: 0806-262-2296, 0818-398-7510.
22. ATLANTIC MEDICAL CENTER:
Located at No.76c, Emekuku, off D-line, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Contact: [email protected].
23. ELVIGOR MEDICAL LABORATORY:
No. 11 Eyo Edem by watt Market Roundabout off Hewett Street, Calabar, Cross Rivers State
Contact: [email protected], 0803-796-5482.
In Conclusion
Due to advancements in technology, You don’t have to wait until the child is born; the test can be done now. As such, it is advisable to do a prenatal paternity test to avoid developing a bond with a child. Do your best to train the child, only to discover later in life that you are not the biological father of that child. The earlier, the better; go for the test now that the child is still in the womb.