Despite increasing public awareness and existing legislation requiring genotype screening before marriage, cases of falsified genotype results are on the rise in Nigeria. Investigations by The PUNCH reporters UMAR SANI and VICTOR AYENI uncover a troubling trend: some couples, determined to wed despite genetic incompatibilities, are forging genotype test results—with assistance from unscrupulous labs or unqualified personnel.

At Gwallaga Jumma’at Mosque in Bauchi, the wedding committee oversees nearly 500 marriages annually. However, numerous applications have been rejected due to suspicious genotype reports.

According to the committee chairman, Hassan Ladan, any doubtful test results are re-examined at the mosque’s affiliated hospital.
“Our committee has strict guidelines for approving marriages,” Ladan explained. “Couples must submit completed forms at least two days before their wedding. We scrutinize every submission, especially the genotype results. Many rejected reports originate from private health centers and independent labs.”

While Ladan declined to name specific laboratories, he emphasized that results are validated through official stamps, dates, and authorized signatures.

Across Nigerian churches and mosques, religious leaders often require genotype testing for couples seeking marriage. These results help determine compatibility and prevent children from inheriting sickle cell disease.

Scientific studies confirm that certain genotype pairings can increase or reduce the risk of sickle cell disorder. This has led to strong advocacy for genotype screening before marriage, supported by legislation in several states.

Legal Framework

In Bauchi State, the 2017 “Compulsory Genotype, HIV Test, and Anti-Discrimination Law” mandates such screenings before marriage. Religious and traditional leaders, along with medical professionals, are involved in enforcing the law.

Anambra State has also enacted similar legislation, while a bill currently before the National Assembly seeks to make genotype testing a nationwide requirement for marriage certification. Sponsored by Rep. Akin Rotimi, the bill passed its first reading in October 2024.

The proposed law stipulates that marriage registries must not issue certificates without verified genotype results. Violators face fines up to ₦500,000 or a year’s imprisonment. Health facilities issuing fraudulent results risk fines of ₦1 million or up to two years in jail.

A Growing Problem

Despite these measures, some couples still falsify their genotype results to gain approval for marriage. The PUNCH investigation found that private labs and hospitals are complicit, sometimes altering results in exchange for bribes or under pressure from acquaintances.

One such case involved a young man from Dass LGA in Bauchi. After repeated tests confirmed his AS genotype, he forged a new result with help from a cousin—a biochemistry student on internship at a hospital lab—showing him as AA. The couple proceeded to wed.

According to Medbury Medicals, genotypes represent a person’s unique DNA signature, typically categorized as AA, AS, AC, SS, and SC. AA and AS are considered normal; SS and SC are abnormal and often lead to sickle cell disease.

Dr. Samuel Iyke explained, “Sickle cell disorder arises from abnormally shaped blood cells, causing pain and damage to organs. That’s why genotype compatibility is essential before marriage.”

Yet, even when tests are conducted, inconsistencies in results remain. Synlab, a prominent Nigerian medical lab, acknowledges that genotype results can sometimes be inaccurate due to technical or interpretive errors.

First-Hand Accounts

In many cases, desperate couples deliberately seek to alter their results. One lab technician, speaking anonymously, recounted how a woman asked for her AS result to be changed to AA so she could marry her fiancé. “She was convinced he was God’s will for her. I refused,” the technician said.

Others have less scrupulous outcomes. A social media user, Ezekiel Mshelia, described how a church allegedly helped a woman conceal her genotype from her partner. Both were AS. Their child was born with SS, and the man only discovered the truth after marriage.

At a public hospital in the Southwest, a nurse known as Omolara recalled treating a child whose genotype did not match either parent. “The mother insisted the child was theirs, but something was clearly wrong—either a lab error or paternity issue,” she noted.

Discrepancies in genotype results are common. Kingsley Chidi, a technician, initially tested as AA but was later told he was AS at a church-affiliated lab. Similarly, Mayowa Adekunle from Ibadan received an AS result from one hospital but got confirmation of his AA status from another.

Social media is awash with similar stories. Serah Ibrahim narrated a scene at a hospital where a woman became furious after receiving an AS result for her fiancé—contradicting his belief that he was AA. The couple was barred from marrying at their mosque due to the results.

In another post, an X user, Richard Ukuevo, described how his brother’s genotype shifted between AA and AS across multiple tests, sparking doubt about the reliability of the system.

Calls for Confirmation

Many now advocate multiple confirmatory tests from reputable labs before making life decisions. One user, Ebe Ogidi, revealed that his cousin—an AS genotype—bribed a lab to falsify results. “Now, they’re suffering,” he said.

Attempts to reach Ogidi for further comment were unsuccessful.

Religious Leaders Respond

Leaders from churches and mosques insist that their protocols prevent result manipulation. Pastor Muyiwa Uyi said, “We use accredited labs and handle results directly. Couples don’t deliver the results themselves.”

Pastor Daniel Okunoye of Multiply Christian Network echoed this: “Couples have limited influence. The church selects the testing facility and receives the results confidentially.”

Muslim cleric Saheed Olagoke agreed that confidentiality is key and tests are conducted to uncover the truth, not to be manipulated.

Medical Perspective

Dr. Salis Mukhtar, a senior registrar at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, attributed some of the confusion to low health literacy. “Even educated Nigerians may not fully grasp how these tests work, which opens the door to misinformation or manipulation,” he explained.