Former Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been acquitted of all bribery charges brought against her by UK authorities, marking the end of a closely watched legal battle that spanned several years.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!A jury at the Southwark Crown Court in London returned a unanimous verdict on Wednesday, clearing Alison-Madueke of six counts of bribery after several hours of deliberation.
The former minister had been standing trial alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother, Doye Agama, over allegations linked to the awarding of lucrative oil and gas contracts during her tenure in office. All defendants had consistently denied the charges.
A significant moment during the proceedings was the presentation of a written statement from former President Goodluck Jonathan, who told the court that it was not uncommon for third parties to cover expenses for government officials undertaking official foreign assignments. Jonathan also stated that he had approved Alison-Madueke’s use of private jets for certain international engagements.
The case originated from charges filed by the UK government in August 2023. Prosecutors alleged that Alison-Madueke received benefits, including luxury properties, expensive gifts, and other high-value items, in exchange for influencing the award of multi-million-pound oil contracts.
During the trial, prosecutors argued that the former minister enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle in London funded by business figures seeking favourable treatment in Nigeria’s oil sector. They specifically cited luxury purchases allegedly made on her behalf and her use of upscale properties linked to Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko.
However, the defence maintained that Alison-Madueke did not possess unilateral authority over the allocation of oil contracts. Her legal team argued that approvals passed through multiple regulatory and administrative layers before reaching the minister and that operational control largely rested with the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), while the ministry primarily performed oversight functions.
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With the jury dismissing all six charges, Alison-Madueke leaves the courtroom vindicated in one of the most prominent international corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official.
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