The highly anticipated corruption trial of Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, faced a scheduled delay at Southwark Crown Court on Monday. Legal representatives confirmed that the commencement of the proceedings has been pushed back due to unresolved “legal and technical” complexities.
The 65-year-old, who made history as the first female president of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), faces a six-count indictment, including five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The charges pertain to her tenure under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015.
The delay stems from the need for both the prosecution and the defence to reach an agreement on specific evidence to be admitted during the trial. Furthermore, the final selection of the jury remains ongoing. Lawyers intimated that the substantive trial may now begin on Tuesday, with the proceedings expected to span 10 to 12 weeks.
Alison-Madueke appeared in court last week for preliminary hearings. She is being prosecuted alongside two other individuals, Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, who face related bribery charges.
The National Crime Agency (NCA), which leads the investigation, alleges that Alison-Madueke abused her ministerial authority to award multi-million-pound contracts in exchange for lavish financial rewards.
According to the indictment, the “financial or other advantages” she allegedly accepted from individuals linked to Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical groups included:
Luxury Properties: Staff costs and extensive refurbishment work on multiple London residences, Travel and Logistics: Chauffeur-driven vehicles and private jet flights, including a flight to Nigeria, High-End Benefits: Tuition fees for her son, £100,000 in cash, and luxury goods from retailers such as Harrods and Louis Vuitton.
The prosecution contends that these benefits led to the “improper performance” of her official duties as the overseer of Nigeria’s vast oil wealth.
Although Alison-Madueke has consistently denied all allegations since her initial arrest in October 2015, international agencies have moved to seize assets linked to the case. In 2023, the NCA collaborated with United States prosecutors to recover assets valued at $53.1 million.
These assets included premium real estate in New York and California, as well as the Galactica Star, a 65-metre superyacht. The US Department of Justice formalised the recovery of these items in March 2023, citing them as proceeds of alleged corruption.
A Career of Firsts
Born in the oil-rich city of Port Harcourt, Alison-Madueke’s rise was marked by several milestones. An architect by training, she held three cabinet positions under two presidents:
Minister of Transport (2007), Minister of Mines and Steel Development and Minister of Petroleum Resources (2010–2015)
As the trial prepares to get underway, it serves as a landmark case in the UK’s efforts to prosecute international bribery and serious organised crime involving foreign public officials.
