Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been acquitted of all bribery charges brought against her by British prosecutors, bringing to an end one of the most closely watched international corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official.
A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London on Tuesday found Alison-Madueke not guilty on all six counts of bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery after weeks of deliberations, concluding a trial that lasted several months. The verdict also cleared her co-defendants, oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother, Doye Agama, of related charges.
The former minister, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015 and also briefly held the position of President of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), had consistently denied all allegations against her.
British prosecutors had accused Alison-Madueke of accepting luxury benefits from individuals and companies seeking favourable treatment in the award of oil and gas contracts in Nigeria. The alleged benefits included the use of high-end properties in the United Kingdom, luxury shopping trips, private jet travel and other expensive gifts.
However, throughout the trial, Alison-Madueke maintained that she neither solicited nor accepted bribes and insisted that she acted impartially during her tenure as petroleum minister. She told the court that she did not abuse her office and denied influencing the award of contracts.
Her legal team argued that many of the expenses highlighted by prosecutors had either been reimbursed or were unrelated to any corrupt arrangement. The defence further contended that the former minister did not possess unilateral authority to award oil contracts and was being unfairly blamed for broader issues within Nigeria’s oil sector.
The acquittal follows more than a decade of investigations by British authorities and scrutiny from international law enforcement agencies, including the United States Department of Justice.
Reacting to the verdict, members of Alison-Madueke’s legal team described the outcome as a complete vindication of their client, saying the ruling restored her reputation after years of legal battles and public allegations.
The verdict is likely to generate reactions in Nigeria, where Alison-Madueke remained one of the most controversial figures of the Jonathan administration and was frequently linked to multiple corruption investigations after leaving office.
While the London acquittal resolves the criminal charges brought against her in the United Kingdom, the former minister’s tenure in office remains a subject of public debate in Nigeria, where anti-corruption agencies have previously pursued separate investigations and asset recovery proceedings connected to allegations of financial misconduct.
The judgment marks a significant setback for British prosecutors, whose case was built on allegations that the former minister received benefits from business figures seeking access to lucrative contracts in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. Following the jury’s verdict, Alison-Madueke is now free of all charges in the UK case.
