See:  DNA Does Not Lie with George Geder @ #DeColonizeTheMind

You tested through AncestryDNA??

Then your ethnicity estimates are subject to change drastically, my ethnicity estimates changed from 86% Sub-Saharan African; 12% European; 2% South Central Asian and Native American, to 89% Sub-Saharan African; 12% European; and 1% Asian, only on AncestryDNA. My first highest percentage at first testing in 2014 on AncestryDNA was Ivory Coast/Ghana at 29% my dad’s was 28% Ivory Coast/Ghanaian. Back then AncestryDNA was relatively new to autosomal DNA testing. AncestryDNA like most DNA companies utilizes a reference panel of DNA sampled from various regions to compare our genetic similarities and obtain these estimates. The reference panel for Europeans is higher than that for Continental African populations.

After the first update in 2019, my highest percentage drastically changed again to 48% Cameroon, 22% Benin Togo, with very small percentages of Ivory Coast/Ghanaian remaining. I became 87% Sub-Saharan African; 12% European;  and retained 1% Native American North- Central, South, with 2% Ivory Coast/Ghanaian this update.

The third update my highest result drastically changed again to 39% Nigerian now, with the second highest percentage being 30% Cameroon. I was 88% Sub-Saharan African with this change. Although, I was more satisfied with these latest results I don’t trust AncestryDNA anymore, but at least now they are a little more in sync with 23 and me results which results I do trust.

23 and me kept their regions broad until they acquired more data to make a change and when they update their estimates the changes are subtle. In 2012, 23 and me did a promotional for African Americans called, Roots into the Future which was free to the first 50,000 participants. I believe, they have a broader reference panel for African DNA than AncestryDNA does.

I am happy when I see my percentages of African increase on AncestryDNA but the drastic increases are not factual. My dad is 91% Sub-Saharan African, he does have less than 10% European. I get more of my European from my mom side, my maternal aunt is 17% European and 82% Sub-Saharan African, I am 11.4% European and according to AncestryDNA they removed my small amounts of Native American but these percentages keep changing.

If I were you, to receive more accurate and confident conclusions look through your DNA relatives for 100% African DNA cousin matches from your DNA relative list on AncestryDNA and 23 and me. I have found more than thirty actual DNA matches having all four grandparents born in Africa, matching both myself, my dad, and my maternal Aunt Geneva.

Although, my dad does have more actual Nigerian DNA matches as his closest cousins from the Continent, but he also has two Ghanaian DNA cousins, and a few from the Senegambia Mali, as well. My aunts closest matches to date have been from Cameroon or bordering Cameroon and Nigeria, she also has two Ghanaian DNA matches who also match me, and many from Cape Verde. Our latest update from AncestryDNA makes my maternal aunt 33% Cameroon a more subtle change from her last one in August 2019. Mine is now 39% Nigerian and 31% Cameroon also more subtle change than before and my dad’s 38% Nigerian, 23% Mali, and he retains 3% Ghanaian.

They both have actual distant Congolese cousins too. I have many actual Nigerian cousin DNA matches both Igbo, Yoruba, Ekoi, and Ijo, and a couple Ashanti and Akan Ghanaian cousins as well, so although AncestryDNA took Ghana away completely, I know that I am related, they replaced my Ghana with Mali which is the region most Ghanaians migrated from (my dad does have a Mandingo DNA cousin from Mali), and a region that I greatly identify with, but I think they should add a community to Mali which explains the dispersal. Hey I might make that suggestion!

However, I think 23 and me is more accurate when it comes to African American DNA.

Thanks George Geder you can visit his blog at the above link.