Diezani Alison-Madueke Acquitted as UK Court Clears Former Nigerian Petroleum Minister of All Bribery Charges
A London court has acquitted former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of bribery-related charges brought against her by authorities in the United Kingdom.
PulseNets learnt that the Southwark Crown Court discharged and acquitted Alison-Madueke after a jury cleared her of all six counts following more than 46 hours of deliberations.
The former petroleum minister had been accused by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency (NCA) of accepting bribes in exchange for influencing the award of multi-million-pound oil and gas contracts during her time in office.
PulseNets reports that Alison-Madueke was arraigned alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother, Doye Agama. The three defendants pleaded not guilty to the allegations.
During the proceedings, prosecutors alleged that Alison-Madueke benefited from luxury items, high-end properties, and other advantages allegedly provided by individuals seeking favourable treatment within Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Court documents obtained by PulseNets showed that the prosecution claimed Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko spent millions of pounds on luxury goods and properties allegedly linked to the former minister.
However, Alison-Madueke’s defence team argued that she had limited authority over the approval of oil contracts, maintaining that major decisions in the sector involved several agencies and were largely executed through established institutional processes.
The defence further contended that operational control of the petroleum sector rested primarily with the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), while the Ministry of Petroleum Resources largely performed oversight responsibilities.
Also Read: Diezani Alison-Madueke Appears in London Court Ahead of January 2026 Bribery Trial
The court proceedings also featured a written statement from former President Goodluck Jonathan, who told the court that “it was not unusual for third parties to make payments on behalf of ministers on official foreign trips.”
PulseNets learnt that the acquittal brings an end to the UK criminal case against Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015.
