Ex-Nigerian Minister Diezani Appears in UK Court Over £100,000 Bribery Trial
Diezani Alison-Madueke, the former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, appeared at Southwark Crown Court in London, United Kingdom, on Monday for a preliminary session in her ongoing bribery case.
The hearing, which took place before Justice Thornton in Court 8 as listed on the court’s cause list, comes ahead of her main trial, scheduled to commence on January 26, 2026.
Recall that in August 2023, UK authorities formally charged Alison-Madueke, accusing her of receiving a £100,000 bribe.
According to the UK National Crime Agency (NCA), investigators allege that she “accepted illegal payments in exchange for the approval of oil and gas contracts worth several millions of pounds” while holding public office.
Alison-Madueke served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan and made history in 2014 when she became president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
In October 2023, a UK court granted her bail of £70,000. The Westminster Magistrates’ Court had imposed strict conditions on her release after ruling that she was “a flight risk.”
Under the bail terms, Alison-Madueke is required to adhere to a curfew from 11 pm to 6 am, wear an electronic monitoring tag at all times, and provide a £70,000 surety before leaving the court premises.
In January 2025, Nigeria and the United States signed an asset repatriation agreement involving $52.88 million linked to the Galactica assets allegedly associated with Alison-Madueke.
The US government stated that Alison-Madueke and her associates used “proceeds of those illicitly awarded contracts” to acquire high-end properties in California and New York, as well as the Galactica Star, a 65-metre superyacht.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) continues to pursue several assets believed to be connected to the former petroleum minister.
