Former Nigerian Petroleum Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke has returned to a London court as prosecutors continue presenting evidence in her high-profile corruption and bribery trial, which has drawn international attention.
Gatekeepers News reports that the Crown alleges that Alison-Madueke accepted cash and luxury benefits in exchange for influence over oil and gas contracts during her tenure as minister. She denies all charges.
On Monday, jurors heard testimony from a luxury furnishings retailer and a former housekeeper, as prosecutors sought to show how high-end purchases and property use were allegedly routed through intermediaries.
The 65-year-old is facing multiple bribery counts arising from a years-long investigation, with the alleged offences occurring between 2011 and 2015, while she was Nigeria’s oil minister but maintained a UK address.
The UK National Crime Agency (NCA), which targets international and serious organised crime, alleges that the bribes were received in Britain. Alison-Madueke is accused of accepting “financial or other advantages” from individuals linked to Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical, both of which secured contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) or its subsidiaries.
The prosecution claims she received a range of benefits, including:
- £100,000 ($137,000) in cash
- Chauffeur-driven cars and private jet flights to Nigeria
- Refurbishment work and staff costs at multiple London properties
- School fees for her son
- Luxury goods from stores such as Harrods and Louis Vuitton
Alison-Madueke, who served as President of OPEC from 2014 to 2015, has been involved in multiple legal cases internationally, including in the United States. She has been on bail in the UK since her initial arrest in October 2015 and was formally charged in 2023.
