Ex-Oil Minister Diezani Denies Bribery Charges in London
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to multiple counts of bribery as her long-awaited trial commenced at Southwark Crown Court in London.
The 65-year-old, who held one of Nigeria’s most powerful cabinet positions between 2010 and 2015 under President Goodluck Jonathan, faces allegations that she accepted substantial financial and material benefits in exchange for helping certain individuals and companies secure lucrative oil and gas contracts with state-owned entities.
Prosecutors told the court that between 2011 and 2015, Alison-Madueke received inducements that included £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven luxury cars, private jet flights, payment of school fees for her son, renovation and staffing costs for high-end London properties, and luxury goods from prestigious stores such as Harrods and Louis Vuitton.
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The benefits are alleged to have come from individuals connected to Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical groups, both of which obtained significant contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries during her tenure.
The prosecution argued that Alison-Madueke “should not have accepted benefits from those doing extremely lucrative business with government-owned entities.”
Alison-Madueke, who has consistently denied any wrongdoing, entered not-guilty pleas to all charges. Two co-defendants—her brother, Doye Agama, and Olatimbo Ayinde—are also facing related bribery charges in the same proceedings.
Trial judge Justine Thornton indicated that she expects the case to conclude by April 24, 2026.
The case marks the latest chapter in a decade-long series of legal actions against the former minister across multiple jurisdictions. Alison-Madueke was arrested in London in October 2015 by the UK National Crime Agency, which at the time stated it suspected she had abused her position in Nigeria to accept financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts. She was released on unconditional bail and has remained in the UK since then.
Formal charges were brought against her in 2023. In Nigeria, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) continues to pursue separate cases, and in 2017 Nigerian courts ordered the seizure of properties linked to her valued at several million dollars.
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The former minister has also faced civil forfeiture proceedings in the United States linked to alleged proceeds of corruption.
Alison-Madueke’s tenure as petroleum minister coincided with a period of intense scrutiny of Nigeria’s oil sector. Appointed in April 2010, she became the first woman to head the ministry and oversaw key aspects of the country’s hydrocarbon policy at a time when oil revenues accounted for the bulk of federal income. In 2014–2015, she served as president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), a role that gave her international prominence.
Her time in office saw the introduction of strategic alliance agreements aimed at boosting local participation in upstream oil operations, arrangements that later attracted controversy and investigations. Companies such as Atlantic Energy secured oil prospecting licences and lifting rights under these initiatives.
Since leaving office in May 2015 following the election of President Muhammadu Buhari, Alison-Madueke has maintained that all allegations against her are politically motivated and has repeatedly asserted her innocence.
The London trial is expected to examine in detail the nature of the contracts awarded during her ministry and the benefits she is alleged to have received in return.