Nigerian Ex-Minister Diezani Appears In Court Over Alleged £100,000 Bribery Charges
Former Nigerian petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, appeared before the Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday for the preliminary hearing of her bribery case. The court appearance was part of early proceedings ahead of her full trial relating to allegations connected to her time in office.
Alison-Madueke served as Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015 and was the first woman to hold the position, as well as the first female president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The case was listed on the cause list for Court 8 before Justice Thornton. The preliminary hearing took place ahead of the substantive trial, which is scheduled to commence on January 26, 2026.
Preliminary proceedings, including technical matters and jury selection, began this week, with Alison-Madueke in attendance. The 65-year-old has been on bail since she was first arrested in London in October 2015.
She has denied six charges against her. She was formally charged in 2023 by the UK’s National Crime Agency with offences of accepting bribes between 2011 to 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. According to the indictment, Alison-Madueke benefitted from at least £100,000 ($134,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets, and the use of multiple London properties. The charges also detailed financial rewards including furniture, renovation work, and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and gifts from top designer shops such as Louis Vuitton. The trial is expected to last between 10 and 12 weeks.
Two other individuals are also being prosecuted in connection with the case: Doye Agama, who appeared in court via video link on Monday, and Olatimbo Ayinde, who was present in the dock. Alison-Madueke was first arrested in London in October 2015 and has been on bail since then. She was formally charged in 2023 by the UK’s National Crime Agency with offences of accepting bribes between 2011 to 2015. According to the indictment, Alison-Madueke benefitted from at least £100,000 ($134,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets, and the use of multiple London properties.
The charges also detailed financial rewards including furniture, renovation work, and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and gifts from top designer shops such as Louis Vuitton. The NCA said at the time, “We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts.”
