Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been acquitted of all bribery charges brought against her by a court in the United Kingdom, bringing an end to a high-profile case that spanned nearly three years.
A jury at the Southwark Crown Court in London found Alison-Madueke not guilty on all six counts after more than 46 hours of deliberations on Wednesday.
The verdict marks a significant development in a case that began in August 2023 when UK authorities charged the former minister over allegations linked to the acceptance of a £100,000 bribe and the awarding of lucrative oil and gas contracts during her tenure.
During the proceedings, a written statement from former President Goodluck Jonathan was presented before the court.
In the statement, Jonathan explained that it was not uncommon for third parties to make payments on behalf of government ministers undertaking official duties abroad. He also stated that he had approved Alison-Madueke’s use of private jets for certain international engagements during her time in office.
The trial formally commenced in January 2026 following investigations by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
Prosecutors alleged that Alison-Madueke accepted various benefits, including luxury goods, access to high-end properties, and other privileges from individuals seeking favourable consideration in the award of oil contracts in Nigeria.
The former minister was charged alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother, Doye Agama. All defendants denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.
During the trial, prosecutor Alexandra Healy told jurors that Alison-Madueke “enjoyed a life of luxury in London”, allegedly financed by individuals with interests in Nigeria’s oil industry.
According to the prosecution, Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko, who was named in one of the charges but was not on trial, allegedly spent more than £2 million on luxury purchases for the former minister at Harrods and provided accommodation for her family in a mansion outside London.
In response, Alison-Madueke’s defence team argued that she exercised limited authority over the approval of oil contracts, maintaining that key decisions were typically made before matters reached her office.
The defence further told the court that contract approval processes involved multiple agencies and layers of scrutiny, while operational control within the sector largely rested with the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), with the ministry serving primarily an oversight function.
Following the extensive trial and jury deliberations, the court ultimately acquitted Alison-Madueke of all six charges, ending one of the most closely watched corruption-related cases involving a former Nigerian public official in the United Kingdom.
