Proceedings resumed on Monday in London in the corruption and bribery trial of former Nigerian petroleum minister Diezani Alison-Madueke.
Alison-Madueke denies multiple charges related to alleged misconduct during her tenure overseeing Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Prosecutors, however, allege that she received cash and luxury benefits in return for influencing energy contracts, a case that has significant implications for accountability in the global energy industry.
Our correspondent, Juliana Olayinka, reports from Southwark Crown Court in London.
‘Life of Luxury’
Lawyers for Alison-Madueke, the first female president of OPEC, rejected claims that she took bribes during the trial. The 65-year-old former minister, seated in the dock and taking notes on the third day of proceedings, faces multiple counts of bribery stemming from a lengthy investigation.
The alleged offences took place between 2011 and 2015 while she served as Nigeria’s oil minister, although she maintained a UK address. The UK National Crime Agency (NCA), which investigates serious and organised international crime, accused her of receiving bribes in Britain.
Prosecutors claim Alison-Madueke led a “life of luxury” funded by individuals seeking lucrative contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries.
Defence lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw argued that critical material that could prove her innocence was unavailable due to “gross delays in bringing the charges.” He said Alison-Madueke had been denied the chance to return to Nigeria to prepare her defence, with her passport retained by British authorities since her initial arrest 11 years ago.
Laidlaw also pointed out that Nigerian ministers are prohibited from holding bank accounts abroad. He suggested that documents from her home in Nigeria or from officials would show that any accommodation or expenses covered in the UK were reimbursed from Nigeria. “More than a decade later, those records have disappeared,” he told the jury.
The prosecution alleges Alison-Madueke accepted “financial or other advantages” from individuals connected to Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical, both of which secured contracts with NNPC or its subsidiaries. She is accused of receiving £100,000 ($137,000) in cash, chauffeur-driven vehicles, private jet flights to Nigeria, and property refurbishments and staff costs at several London residences.
Other counts include payment of school fees for her son and luxury goods from stores such as Harrods and Louis Vuitton, along with additional private jet flights.
Alison-Madueke served as OPEC president between 2014 and 2015 and has faced multiple legal cases internationally, including in the United States. She has been on bail in the UK since her arrest in October 2015 and formally denied the bribery charges when charged in 2023.
Two others, her brother Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also facing prosecution on bribery charges connected to the case. At the time of the alleged offences, all three defendants had UK addresses, according to the prosecution.
More updates are expected as the trial continues.
