Bimbo Akintola Claims 90% of Nigerian Men Cheat, Says Infidelity ‘Engraved’ in Society

|By Oko-Echem Agnes

Nollywood star Bimbo Akintola has sparked debate after declaring that infidelity and polygamy will remain permanent features of Nigerian society.

Speaking during a podcast with fellow actress Ayo Adesanya, the 55-year-old actress alleged that between 90 to 99 percent of Nigerian men cheat on their partners. She argued that the culture of unfaithfulness has been passed down through generations and reinforced by family upbringing.

Akintola pointed out that many men grow up in homes where infidelity is normalized, with fathers openly keeping multiple partners or wives. According to her, some boys even learn the act of cheating by accompanying their fathers to visit girlfriends.

“I don’t know where this idea of fidelity in Africa came from. Your father cheats, your grandfather cheated, my father has two wives,” she said. “They all cheat, 90 percent of them cheat, it’s engraved in them.”

While stressing that she does not excuse such behavior, Akintola maintained that it is unrealistic for women to expect fidelity from most men. She added that character is largely shaped by the age of seven, making it difficult to unlearn such traits later in life.

Her comments have stirred conversations on gender expectations, cultural values, and the realities of relationships in Nigeria.