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By Lizzy Chirkpi
The long running corruption trial of Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, resumed this week at the Southwark Crown Court in London, with prosecutors laying out new evidence linking her to millions of pounds allegedly used to renovate luxury properties in the British capital.
Jurors on Wednesday heard testimony from a construction contractor who worked on several high-end London homes said to be connected to the former minister. The prosecution described the refurbishments as part of a wider pattern of “financial benefits and favours” allegedly received by Alison-Madueke through middlemen during her time in office.
According to the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), the payments and luxury services were rewards for oil contracts awarded to companies linked to the Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical groups firms that secured lucrative deals with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its subsidiaries between 2011 and 2015.
“The Crown’s case is that vast sums of money flowed through intermediaries to fund a lifestyle far beyond legitimate income,” one prosecutor told the court, adding that the refurbishments were “not gifts between friends but bribes disguised as business transactions.”
Investigators allege that Alison-Madueke, now 65, accepted a wide range of benefits, including:£100,000 in cash
Chauffeur-driven luxury vehicles, Private jet flights between the UK and Nigeria, Expensive renovation works and staff salaries at London properties, School fees for her son and Designer goods from Harrods and Louis Vuitton
The court was told that the alleged bribes were received in Britain while she maintained a UK residence despite serving as Nigeria’s oil minister.
“This was not a single payment, but a sustained flow of advantages over several years,” the prosecutor said. “It was the price of access to Nigeria’s oil wealth.”
Alison-Madueke, who served as petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan and later became the first female president of OPEC, has pleaded not guilty to all counts.
She was first arrested by British authorities in October 2015 as part of a major international probe into alleged corruption within Nigeria’s oil sector. After years of investigation, she was formally charged in 2023 with multiple bribery offences under UK law.
The National Crime Agency has described the case as one of its most significant foreign corruption prosecutions, saying it reflects Britain’s commitment to targeting illicit wealth flowing through its financial system.
Two co-defendants Doye Agama, described as Alison-Madueke’s brother, and businessman Olatimbo Ayinde are also facing bribery charges connected to the alleged scheme. Prosecutors say all three maintained British addresses at the time of the offences.
Background to the case stretches far beyond the London courtroom.
During her tenure as oil minister, Alison-Madueke oversaw Africa’s largest oil producer at a time when billions of dollars were flowing through the sector annually. Nigerian authorities and international agencies have since accused senior officials of using shell companies and politically connected firms to divert public funds.
In the United States, the Department of Justice has previously seized luxury properties and assets allegedly linked to proceeds of corruption connected to her tenure, while Nigerian anti-graft agencies have pursued separate forfeiture cases.
Despite the multiple investigations across jurisdictions, Alison-Madueke has consistently denied wrongdoing, maintaining that the allegations are politically motivated and that her wealth is legitimate.
The London trial is expected to continue for several weeks, with further witnesses due to testify on financial transactions, property records, and alleged links between oil contracts and personal benefits.
If convicted, the former minister could face a substantial prison sentence under British corruption laws.