Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has appeared before the Southwark Crown Court in London for a preliminary hearing in her bribery trial.
Gatekeepers News reports that Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015, is standing trial over allegations of corruption linked to her time in office. She was Nigeria’s first female oil minister and the first woman to serve as president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The case was listed in Court 8 before Justice Thornton on Monday, with Alison-Madueke attending preliminary proceedings ahead of the commencement of the substantive trial scheduled for January 26, 2026.
The court began preliminary processes this week, including technical matters and jury selection. Alison-Madueke, now 65, has been on bail since her arrest in London in October 2015 and has pleaded not guilty to all six counts against her.
She was formally charged in 2023 by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) for allegedly accepting bribes between 2011 and 2015.
“We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts,” the NCA said at the time of filing the charges.
According to the indictment, the former minister allegedly benefited from at least £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, private jet flights, and the use of several London properties.
Prosecutors further alleged that the benefits included furniture, renovation works, domestic staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and luxury items from high-end designer brands such as Louis Vuitton.
The trial is expected to begin on Monday, January 26, and is projected to last between 10 and 12 weeks.
Two other individuals are also facing bribery charges connected to the case. Doye Agama appeared before the court via video link on Monday, while Olatimbo Ayinde was present in the dock.
