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Summary
A viral recurring claim, by Vanguard News, reported that Nigerian women are the most unfaithful in the world. This is misleading: investigations showed it originates from a foreign site and has been deleted. There's no reliable evidence to support claims about Nigerian women being the most unfaithful globally.
Claim:
In January 2015, Vanguard News, a reputable media outlet, posted a claim on social media, as well as other media outlets dating from 2012 to 2023, which stated that “Durex survey” found Nigerian women to be the top in the world when it comes to infidelity, with figures such as 62% unfaithful, higher than in other countries.
NFM Checks
A survey conducted by condom manufacturer Durex, in which 29,000 people in 36 countries were interviewed, has ranked Nigerian women as the most unfaithful in the world. Meanwhile, the Global Sex Survey only states, in their exact words,
“The Global Sex Survey is just one such example; we asked 29,000 adults to tell us about their sex lives. We wanted to find out what people think and feel about sex, and what impact this has on the rest of their lives. Our sexual health and well-being expertise stems from the in-depth knowledge and understanding garnered from tools such as our Global Sex Survey.”
The original Durex Survey discloses that the claim is false, as there is no official data or national survey to support it. Also, it mentions that Durex’s Global Sex Survey found that worldwide, 22% of people surveyed admitted to having extramarital sex.
A supposed Durex survey claiming Nigerian women are the most unfaithful was misinterpreted. The actual survey focused on sexual health and behaviour, not infidelity. Nigerian media outlets spread the false narrative without fact-checking, and it persists despite lacking evidence. The claim has been recurring since 2012, which prompted NFM to fact-check. However, the original video has been deleted, yet several media outlets have since repeated the story without verifying its authenticity. It is confirmed on Durex’s Instagram page that there are no such statements.
These false claims about Nigerian women’s infidelity originated from a misrepresented health survey, amplified by sensational media coverage, and now persist without evidence. An online News blogger, Nairaland Forum, is still promoting this false narrative as of September 28, 2025, at 5:30 pm, despite the post being initially made in 2020.
So many readers were in disagreement with this claim;
“That’s their business. I trust my wife, and she hasn’t given me a reason not to trust her yet,” a reader commented.
Another reader said, “Does the condom send statistics over its usage, and if so, how does it know if one is married. How did they even come about the data?”
To further prove clarity, NFM consulted a medical expert, Ezinne Nze, who clarified that there is no such thing as women being more unfaithful.
“It is nowhere proven that women cheat more; these claims are fabricated to increase gender wars and put women in a negative light. Gullible and illiterate people can accept this narrative, which can lead to distrust in marriages. I suggest that media outlets that disseminate such disinformation should be sanctioned and held accountable,” Ezinne said.
Conclusion
The claim that Nigerian women are the most unfaithful in the world is false. It is based on a misinterpretation of a survey that was never intended to address the issue of infidelity. The original disputed source has been removed, and no credible study backs the viral percentages. This narrative gained traction because of sensational headlines, not solid evidence.Â
Naija Feminists Media is committed to combating misinformation in the digital space for a gender-equal world.
