By Emmanuel Nduka
Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been acquitted of all bribery charges brought against her by British prosecutors, bringing an end to one of the most closely watched international corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official.
A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London on Wednesday returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts on all six counts against the former minister after more than 46 hours of deliberations.
Alison-Madueke, 65, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015, had faced five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. She consistently denied all allegations throughout the trial.
British prosecutors had alleged that the former minister enjoyed a lavish lifestyle funded by Nigerian oil and gas businessmen seeking favourable treatment and lucrative contracts in Nigeria’s petroleum sector. According to the prosecution, the benefits included luxury shopping, expensive property renovations and access to high-end residences in the United Kingdom.
The prosecution argued that the lavish benefits were provided in exchange for influence over government decisions and the award of oil and gas contracts.
However, Alison-Madueke maintained that she neither accepted bribes nor wielded direct authority over contract awards during her time in office.
The court’s decision marks a significant setback for British authorities, whose investigation into the former minister’s activities spanned more than a decade.
The former petroleum minister was among the most influential figures in Nigeria’s oil industry during her tenure and also served as President of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) between 2014 and 2015.
She stood trial alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who faced charges related to bribery and the alleged bribing of a foreign public official.
Allegations of Luxury Spending
The charges, filed in 2023, stemmed from allegations linked to the award of oil and gas contracts during Alison-Madueke’s tenure as petroleum minister.
Prosecutors claimed that several Nigerian businessmen financed luxury expenses on her behalf, including more than £2 million spent at Harrods and approximately £4.6 million used to refurbish properties in London and Buckinghamshire.
They further alleged that some of the purchases were made using payment cards connected to Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko and his company, Tenka Limited.
The prosecution also alleged that the former minister had access to several luxury properties, including a £2.8 million residence in London’s Marylebone district, homes overlooking Regent’s Park and a large property in Buckinghamshire.
Diezani’s Defence
During the trial, Alison-Madueke denied receiving any bribes and insisted that expenses incurred during official engagements were reimbursed by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
“I can state categorically that at no point did I ask for, take or receive a bribe of any sort… and did not abuse my office,” she told the court during one of the proceedings.
She also explained that a logistics company was established in London to handle official arrangements due to what she described as an inefficient financial structure within the NNPC at the time.
Cases Still Pending in Nigeria
Although cleared by the UK court, Alison-Madueke still faces several corruption-related cases in Nigeria. Some of the proceedings have been slowed by her prolonged stay in the United Kingdom following the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2015 presidential election.
Nigerian courts have previously ordered the forfeiture of assets worth billions of naira linked to the former minister.
Wednesday’s verdict effectively closes the UK criminal case against Alison-Madueke, ending years of investigations and legal proceedings that attracted attention in both Nigeria and Britain.
