British prosecutors allege luxury bribes in the Diezani Alison-Madueke bribery trial, detailing claims tied to oil and gas contracts in Nigeria
Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Alison-Madueke on Tuesday stood trial in London as British prosecutors alleged that she accepted bribes including luxury goods, private travel and the use of high-end properties from oil industry figures seeking lucrative contracts.
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The Diezani Alison-Madueke bribery trial opened at Southwark Crown Court, where prosecutor Alexandra Healy told jurors that the former minister enjoyed an opulent lifestyle in London funded by individuals with business interests in Nigeria’s state-owned oil sector.
Alison-Madueke, 65, served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan and was briefly president of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, becoming the first woman to hold either position.
Healy said the former minister was provided with luxury accommodation, expensive goods and exclusive travel arrangements by people who “clearly believed she would use her influence to favour them” in the awarding of oil and gas contracts.
The court was told that while there was no evidence Alison-Madueke awarded contracts improperly, it was unlawful for a senior public official to accept benefits from those conducting business with government-owned entities.
Alison-Madueke is charged with five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, offences allegedly committed between 2011 and 2015. She has denied all charges.
Seated alongside her in the dock was oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, who faces one count of bribery relating to Alison-Madueke and a separate charge of bribing a foreign public official. Ayinde has also pleaded not guilty.
The trial also involves Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, 69, who is accused of conspiracy to commit bribery linked to payments made to his church. Agama is following proceedings by video link for medical reasons and denies the charge.
Prosecutors alleged that Alison-Madueke received financial benefits including the use of a chauffeur-driven car and a private jet.
The court heard that Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko, who is not on trial, spent more than £2 million on luxury purchases for her at a London department store.
Healy said Alison-Madueke frequently stayed with her family at a mansion outside London acquired by Aluko through a company for £3.25 million, with ongoing expenses such as staff, utilities and renovations allegedly covered on her behalf.
Another businessman, Benedict Peters, named in the indictment but not facing trial, is accused of paying school fees for Alison-Madueke’s son, prosecutors said.
Ayinde is further accused of bribing the former managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, in 2015.
Healy told the jury that a substantial payment was allegedly made after President Jonathan left office, aimed at ensuring a close associate retained her role within the corporation.
In addressing the court, Healy said the case highlighted how corruption can corrode trust and undermine the global energy market, describing the allegations as a stark example of abuse of power.
She acknowledged that the trial of Nigerian officials in Britain might appear unusual but said the defendants’ strong links to the United Kingdom made the prosecution appropriate, adding that preventing corrupt conduct in Britain was vital to stopping its spread elsewhere.
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Nigeria remains Africa’s largest oil producer, yet persistent corruption and mismanagement have long blunted the broader social benefits of its vast energy resources, a backdrop that prosecutors said underscored the gravity of the case.
The trial continues.
