Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has appeared before the Southwark Crown Court in London for the preliminary hearing of her bribery trial.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s oil minister between 2010 and 2015, is the first woman to have held the position and also the first female president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The case was listed on Monday before Justice Thornton in Court 8, where Alison-Madueke attended preliminary proceedings ahead of the commencement of her full trial scheduled for January 26, 2026.
The preliminary phase covers technical matters, including case management issues and jury selection. The substantive trial is expected to last between 10 and 12 weeks.
The 65-year-old former minister has been on bail since her arrest in London in October 2015. She has pleaded not guilty to six counts of bribery brought against her.
In 2023, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) formally charged Alison-Madueke with offences relating to the acceptance of bribes during her tenure as Nigeria’s oil minister between 2011 and 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 of filing the charges.
According to the indictment, Alison-Madueke allegedly benefitted from at least £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven vehicles, private jet flights, and the use of multiple properties in London.
Prosecutors also allege that the benefits included furniture, renovation works, domestic staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and luxury items purchased from high-end designers such as Louis Vuitton.
Two other defendants are also facing bribery-related charges connected to the case. Doye Agama appeared at Monday’s proceedings via video link, while Olatimbo Ayinde was present in the dock.
The trial is expected to formally open on January 26.
