The corruption trial of former Nigerian Petroleum Minister and ex-OPEC President Diezani Alison-Madueke has officially commenced in London.
Alison-Madueke, 65, faces five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, all linked to her tenure as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources between 2010 and 2015 under President Goodluck Jonathan.
According to the indictment, she allegedly received “financial or other advantages” from individuals connected to two energy groups, including:
- Use and refurbishment of London properties
- Staff costs and high-end furniture
- Chauffeur-driven cars and private jet flights to Nigeria
- £100,000 ($137,000) in cash
- Luxury items and payment of her son’s school fees
These benefits, the prosecutors claim, amounted to “improper performance” of her ministerial duties.
Two other defendants, Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also facing charges linked to the case. The trial, expected to last 10 to 12 weeks, follows preliminary court proceedings, including jury selection, held last week. Alison-Madueke has been on bail since her initial arrest in London in October 2015 and has denied all charges.
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) said in 2023 that Alison-Madueke allegedly abused her powers to receive financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts. Evidence provided by the NCA to US authorities enabled the recovery of $53.1 million in assets, including luxury real estate in California and New York and the 65-metre superyacht, Galactica Star.
Alison-Madueke, born in 1960 in Port Harcourt, previously studied architecture in Britain and the US before joining Shell Nigeria. She held key ministerial roles under late President Umaru Yar’Adua and President Jonathan, becoming the first female president of OPEC in 2014.
