Diezani Had No Power Over Oil Contracts, Defence Tells UK Court
Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Alison-Madueke had no decisive authority to award major oil and gas contracts during her tenure and functioned merely as a “rubber stamp” for recommendations from senior civil servants, her defence counsel told jurors at Southwark Crown Court in London on Thursday.
Jonathan Laidlaw, appearing for Alison-Madueke, rejected prosecution claims that she exercised real control over lucrative deals in the sector. He urged the jury to consider whether she possessed “any ability to exercise influence upon who would be awarded these contracts or… was she effectively a rubber stamp, stamping the recommendations that her civil servants made”.
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Alison-Madueke, who served as petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015 under President Goodluck Jonathan and chaired the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2014–2015, faces five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. She pleaded not guilty to all charges when the trial opened on Monday, January 26, 2026. The case, one of the most prominent involving alleged corruption in Nigeria’s oil industry, is expected to last several weeks, with a conclusion anticipated in April.
Prosecutors allege the charges stem from the award of oil and gas contracts during her time in office, with benefits including the use of high-end properties in the United Kingdom, chauffeur-driven cars, private jet travel, and significant spending at luxury retailers such as Harrods—reportedly exceeding £2 million in one instance. They contend these were provided by industry figures who believed she would favour them through her influence.
Laidlaw countered that Nigerian law prohibited ministers from holding foreign bank accounts at the time, leading to purchases being made on her behalf. He stated that any personal expenses were reimbursed by Alison-Madueke from funds in Nigeria, while those linked to official duties were met from public resources. “If there was any financial advantage, it was to Nigeria, enabling the Minister for Petroleum Resources to undertake her ministerial business, and there was, of course, nothing improper about it,” he told the court.
He further challenged assertions about the number and value of properties and items allegedly received, insisting any proven financial benefit would be repaid in full. Laidlaw emphasised that Alison-Madueke did not request or receive bribes from industry insiders and that she endorsed decisions proposed by career officials rather than directing outcomes.
The defence acknowledged Nigeria’s long-standing challenges with corruption in its oil sector, Africa’s largest producer and a major global supplier. Alison-Madueke left office after the Peoples Democratic Party’s defeat in the 2015 general election and relocated to London. She was first arrested there in 2015 while receiving cancer treatment but was not formally charged until 2023 following a prolonged investigation by the UK’s National Crime Agency.
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In Nigeria, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has secured court orders for the forfeiture of properties worth billions of naira linked to her, citing evidence of involvement in corruption cases. Her absence from the country has prevented domestic prosecution from advancing.
The trial continues before Justice Thornton at Southwark Crown Court. Alison-Madueke, now 65, appeared in the dock taking notes during proceedings. She stands trial alongside her brother, former bishop Doye Agama, 69, who denies conspiracy to commit bribery related to his church, and oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde.
Conviction under the UK Bribery Act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. The outcome will be closely watched in Nigeria, where the oil ministry has historically been a focal point for public scrutiny over resource management and governance.