“90% of Nigerian Men Cheat, It’s Cultural” – Actress Bimbo Akintola Speaks on Infidelity and Polygamy

Story: Written by Daniel August 26,2025
Veteran Nollywood actress Bimbo Akintola has stirred fresh debate on relationships, fidelity, and culture in Nigeria after declaring that infidelity among men is almost inevitable.

Speaking during a podcast with fellow actress Ayo Adesanya, Akintola claimed that between 90 to 99 percent of Nigerian men cheat on their partners.

The 55-year-old actress argued that this widespread behavior is rooted in cultural and generational patterns, where men grow up in environments that normalize polygamy and infidelity.

“I don’t know where this idea of fidelity in Africa came from. Your father cheats, your grandfather cheated, my father had two wives,” she said.

According to Akintola, many men adopt these habits from childhood, with some even accompanying their fathers to visit girlfriends. She added that character is often formed by the age of seven, making it difficult for women to expect lifelong fidelity from partners raised in such environments.

“They all cheat, 90 percent of them cheat—it’s engraved in them,” she said. “I’m not excusing it, don’t get me wrong. I’m just being realistic when it comes to these kinds of situations.”

Akintola emphasized that while women may hope to change their partners, leaving one man for another often presents the same challenge, since the cultural mindset remains deeply entrenched.