The corruption trial of Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, resumed on Wednesday in a London court, with jurors hearing fresh testimony about millions of pounds allegedly spent on luxury property refurbishments.
Gatekeepers News reports that proceedings at Southwark Crown Court shifted focus to a construction contractor linked to high-end London homes, as prosecutors sought to trace what they described as a wider financial trail of benefits flowing through intermediaries.
The 65-year-old former minister is facing multiple bribery counts following a years-long investigation. The alleged offences are said to have occurred between 2011 and 2015, when she served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister but maintained a residence in the United Kingdom.
The UK National Crime Agency (NCA), which handles international and organised crime cases, accused Alison-Madueke of receiving bribes in Britain.
According to prosecutors, she accepted “financial or other advantages” from individuals connected to Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical.
Both companies reportedly secured contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) or its subsidiaries.
The former minister is alleged to have received £100,000 ($137,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven vehicles, a private jet flight to Nigeria, as well as refurbishment work and staff costs at several London properties.
Other charges claim she benefited from the payment of her son’s school fees, purchases from luxury stores such as Harrods and Louis Vuitton, and additional private jet flights.
Alison-Madueke, who served as President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) between 2014 and 2015, has been linked to multiple legal cases worldwide, including in the United States.
She has been on bail in Britain since her arrest in October 2015. In 2023, she was formally charged with accepting bribes — allegations she has denied.
Two other defendants, Doye Agama — her brother — and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also standing trial on related bribery charges. Prosecutors said all three had British addresses at the time of the alleged offences.
