Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former Nigerian petroleum minister, was seen departing the Southwark Crown Court in London on Thursday, the 29th of January after her bribery trial.
Recall that Alison-Madueke, who served as petroleum resource minister from 2010 to 2015, is currently facing five counts, such as bribery and conspiracy to commit bribery, among others.
According to British prosecutors, Diezani took luxury goods and the use of high-end properties from industry executives looking for lucrative oil and gas contracts with Nigerian state-owned enterprises.
Diezani is currently on trial alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother, Doye Agama, both of whom have disputed the charges against them.
Who is Diezani Alison-Madueke?
She was born on December 6, 1960, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. She attended Shell camp schools and Hussey Model School. She also attended Holy Rosary Government Girls Secondary School before studying architecture in the United Kingdom and United States. She graduated from Howard University in 1992.
She worked at Shell Petroleum Development Corporation, becoming the first female executive director in 2006. She served as Minister of Transportation (2007-2008), Minister of Mines and Steel Development (2008-2010), and Minister of Petroleum Resources (2010-2015).
She is also the first female president of OPEC. She’s married to Admiral Allison Madueke (retired), with six children, and has been living in the UK since 2015.
Alison-Madueke’s arrest?
Diezani Alison-Madueke was detained by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) in October 2015 on suspicion of money laundering and corruption.
WITHIN NIGERIA discovered that the arrest was part of a larger probe on allegations of bribery and corruption during her time as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015.
It was also revealed that the NCA seized assets worth millions of pounds, including luxury items and cash, as part of the probe.
How did Alison-Madueke’s trial begin?
Eight years after her detention, Alison-Madueke was formally accused with taking millions of pounds in bribes from energy corporations in exchange for favorable treatment.
WITHIN NIGERIA gathered that the allegations include five counts of receiving bribes and one count of conspiracy to conduct bribery stemming from her stint as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015.
According to prosecutors, she received expensive products, private jet flights, and access to high-end residences, including a £3.25 million mansion outside London.
Diezani was also accused of spending more than £2 million at Harrods, with the funds reportedly tracked back to oil executives who benefited from contracts with Nigeria’s state-owned oil business.
Jury?
The jury selection for Diezani Alison-Madueke’s corruption trial was initiated and completed on January 19, 2026.
Diezani, who has been on bail since 2015, will be facing six charges, including five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, related to her tenure as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015.
WITHIN NIGERIA learned that the trial, which involves co-defendants Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, is expected to last 10-12 weeks.
However, the corruption trial of Diezani Alison-Madueke officially started on January 26, 2026, at Southwark Crown Court in London.
Prosecutors have stormed the Southwark Crown Court in London to present evidence of Diezani’s alleged lavish lifestyle funded by bribes from oil industry figures.
A check revealed that the evidence presented by prosecutors against Diezani includes luxury shopping at Harrods with payment cards linked to Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko and his company, Tenka Limited.
Another piece of evidence showed the use of luxury properties in London and Buckinghamshire, with £4.6 million spent on refurbishments and multiple flights, including to Nigeria, paid for by businessmen seeking contracts with Nigerian state-owned oil companies, among others.
Evidence such as £100,000 in cash and salaries paid for domestic staff, including a housekeeper, nanny, gardener, and window cleaner, among others.
The Diezani jury, which started on January 26, is expected to end on April 24, 2026.