British prosecutors told a London court on Wednesday that former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, allegedly spent over £2 million (about N4 billion) at luxury department store Harrods, using funds reportedly provided by oil executives who benefited from lucrative contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC).
The court heard that the executives also covered costs for Alison-Madueke’s UK properties, including salaries for domestic staff such as a housekeeper, nanny, gardener, and window cleaner. Prosecutors said these payments were part of a wider alleged scheme of inducements in exchange for favourable treatment on oil and gas contracts.
Alison-Madueke, who once served as President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), is standing trial at Southwark Crown Court on five charges related to bribery, including conspiracy to commit bribery. She has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Jurors were informed that the former minister maintained a high-end lifestyle in the UK, making use of a personal shopper at Harrods, a service available to Black Tier Rewards members who spend more than £10,000 annually. Prosecutors allege that more than £2 million was spent on her behalf at the Brompton Road store, with payments linked to businessman Kolawole Aluko and his company, Tenka Limited.
“She was provided with a life of luxury in the United Kingdom,” said prosecutor Alexandra Healy KC, noting that Alison-Madueke allegedly enjoyed multimillion-pound properties, a chauffeur-driven car, private jet travel, and £100,000 in cash. The court was also told that around £4.6 million was spent on refurbishing properties in London and Buckinghamshire allegedly used by the former minister.
Aluko, a petroleum and aviation businessman listed in the Panama Papers, has previously been investigated over claims that he helped move millions out of Nigeria as kickbacks to Alison-Madueke. Prosecutors noted that he held existing contracts with state-owned oil companies while seeking new ones.
“This case concerns bribery related to Nigeria’s oil and gas sector between 2011 and 2015,” said Healy. “Those seeking lucrative contracts provided substantial financial and other benefits to Alison-Madueke. There is a strong public interest in preventing such conduct from fostering corruption abroad.”
Jurors were shown photos of The Falls, a Buckinghamshire property purchased in 2010 by Nigerian businessman Olajide Omokore of Atlantic Energy. Prosecutors said Alison-Madueke allegedly had exclusive use of the property from late 2011, spending several weeks there writing a book. Renovations, costing approximately £300,000, were allegedly funded by Tenka Limited.
The court was also told that between May 2011 and January 2014, about £500,000 was paid in rent for two London flats occupied by Alison-Madueke and her mother, with records showing Tenka Limited settling the bills.
Alison-Madueke is standing trial alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, charged with bribery related to her, and with bribing a foreign public official. Her brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, faces conspiracy to commit bribery and is attending the trial via video link for medical reasons. All three defendants deny the allegations.
The trial, expected to last approximately 12 weeks, is ongoing.
