Former Nigerian Oil Minister Denies Bribery Charges in London Court

Diezani Alison-Madueke, Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, pleaded not guilty to multiple bribery charges as her trial began at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday.

Prosecutors allege that between 2011 and 2015, Alison-Madueke, 65, accepted a range of bribes to fund a “life of luxury” in exchange for influencing lucrative oil and gas contracts. They claim she received financial and other advantages from individuals and companies seeking business with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries.

The alleged benefits presented to the court included £100,000 in cash, the use of chauffeur-driven cars and private jets, refurbishment and staffing costs for London properties, payment of her son’s school fees, and luxury goods from high-end retailers.

The prosecution asserted that she “should not have accepted benefits from those doing extremely lucrative business with government-owned entities.” The charges are linked to her dealings with parties connected to the Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical groups.

Alison-Madueke, who also served as President of OPEC from 2014 to 2015, has been on bail since her initial arrest in London in October 2015 and was formally charged in 2023. She has consistently denied all allegations against her.

The UK National Crime Agency has previously stated it suspects she “abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.”

Her trial is proceeding alongside two co-defendants, Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, who face related bribery charges. Trial Judge Justine Thornton indicated she hopes the proceedings will conclude by April 24.

This case adds to the former minister’s legal challenges. In Nigeria, courts have previously ordered the forfeiture of millions of dollars worth of assets linked to her, and the country’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) still has pending cases against Alison-Madueke.