By Sabiu Abdullahi
A court in the United Kingdom has found former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, not guilty of all bribery charges brought against her after a trial that attracted significant international attention.
The verdict was delivered on Wednesday at Southwark Crown Court in London after jurors reportedly spent more than 46 hours considering the case.
Mrs Alison-Madueke, who headed Nigeria’s petroleum ministry between 2010 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, had faced six charges. The allegations included five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.
British prosecutors had accused the former minister of receiving expensive benefits from individuals in the oil and gas industry. According to the prosecution, the benefits were allegedly provided in return for favourable treatment and influence over the award of contracts in Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
During the proceedings, prosecutors claimed that Mrs Alison-Madueke enjoyed what they described as “a life of luxury” in London. They alleged that businessmen linked to Nigeria’s oil sector financed luxury purchases, property renovations and other expenses on her behalf.
The former minister consistently rejected the accusations. She told the court that she neither accepted bribes nor had direct authority over the award of government contracts.
During one of the hearings, she stated: “I can state categorically that at no point did I ask for, take or receive a bribe of any sort… and did not abuse my office.”
Mrs Alison-Madueke also explained that a logistics company was established in London to coordinate official engagements because of what she described as shortcomings in the financial arrangements of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) at the time. She further maintained that official expenses incurred on her behalf were reimbursed by the corporation.
The acquittal marks the end of a case that began after British authorities launched corruption investigations into her activities more than a decade ago. The former minister was formally charged in 2023.
Mrs Alison-Madueke, 65, was among the most prominent figures in Nigeria’s oil industry during her time in office. She also served as president of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) between 2014 and 2015.
Although she has now been cleared of the charges in the UK, she still faces several corruption-related cases in Nigeria. Nigerian courts have previously ordered the forfeiture of assets worth billions of naira linked to her.
The London trial also involved oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, who was accused of bribery-related offences connected to the former minister.
The ruling represents a significant development in one of the most closely watched international corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official.