Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been acquitted of all bribery charges brought against her in the United Kingdom, ending a high-profile criminal trial that had lasted for more than a decade and attracted global attention.
A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London on Wednesday returned not-guilty verdicts on six counts against the former minister, including five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The charges related to allegations that she received luxury benefits from oil and gas industry figures in exchange for influence over the award of petroleum contracts while serving in government between 2010 and 2015.
The verdict marks a major setback for the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), which had pursued investigations into the former minister since 2015 as part of one of Britain’s most prominent international anti-corruption cases. Prosecutors alleged that Alison-Madueke enjoyed what they described as a “life of luxury” funded by business figures seeking access to lucrative opportunities in Nigeria’s oil sector.
Throughout the trial, however, Alison-Madueke maintained her innocence, insisting she neither solicited nor accepted bribes. Her defence team argued that many of the expenses cited by prosecutors were either official expenditures reimbursed by the Nigerian government or personal expenses that she later repaid herself.
The former minister, who also served as President of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), told the court she had always sought to uphold due process in Nigeria’s oil industry and described herself as a reform-minded public official.
Reacting to the verdict, Alison-Madueke said the judgment brought to an end what she described as an “11-year ordeal” that had subjected her and her family to intense scrutiny and public condemnation. Britain’s National Crime Agency also acknowledged the jury’s decision, stating that it respected the verdict
Despite her acquittal in the criminal proceedings, legal experts note that Alison-Madueke’s legal troubles may not be entirely over. Reports indicate that separate civil recovery and asset forfeiture proceedings involving properties and assets allegedly linked to her remain under consideration by authorities in the United Kingdom.
In Nigeria, the former minister is still wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in connection with separate allegations relating to corruption, money laundering and the acquisition of assets during her tenure in public office. Those matters remain before Nigerian authorities and are not affected by the UK court’s verdict. �
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The acquittal nevertheless represents a significant legal victory for Alison-Madueke and is likely to reignite debate over the effectiveness of international anti-corruption prosecutions, particularly in cases involving senior political figures and complex cross-border financial investigations.
