Diezani Alison-Madueke Appears in London Court Ahead of January 2026 Bribery Trial
Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has appeared before the Southwark Crown Court in London for a preliminary hearing in her ongoing bribery case in the United Kingdom.
The case was listed on Monday before Justice Thornton in Court 8, according to court documents obtained by PulseNets. The appearance forms part of pre-trial proceedings ahead of her substantive trial, which is scheduled to commence on January 26, 2026.
PulseNets learnt that UK authorities formally charged Alison-Madueke in August 2023, accusing her of accepting a £100,000 bribe during her time in public office.
The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) has alleged that investigators believe the former minister received unlawful payments in exchange for approving oil and gas contracts valued at several millions of pounds. The agency maintains that these transactions were carried out while she exercised official authority within Nigeria’s petroleum sector.
Alison-Madueke served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015 under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. In 2014, she made global headlines after becoming the first woman to serve as President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
In October 2023, a UK court granted her bail in the sum of £70,000, following an earlier ruling by the Westminster Magistrates’ Court which held that she posed “a significant flight risk.”
As part of her bail conditions, the court imposed strict restrictions, including an 11pm to 6am curfew, mandatory use of an electronic monitoring tag, and the submission of a £70,000 surety before she was permitted to leave the court premises, PulseNets reported.
Beyond the UK proceedings, Alison-Madueke remains the subject of international asset recovery efforts. In January 2025, Nigeria and the United States finalised an asset repatriation agreement involving $52.88 million linked to the Galactica assets, which authorities allege are connected to the former minister.
Also Read: Diezani Alison-Madueke Denies Ownership of $52.5m Repatriated from the USA
The US government disclosed that Alison-Madueke and her associates allegedly acquired luxury properties in California and New York, as well as the Galactica Star, a 65-metre superyacht, using funds described as “the proceeds from improperly awarded oil contracts.”
PulseNets also learnt that Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) continues to pursue multiple assets believed to be associated with the former petroleum minister, as investigations and recovery actions remain ongoing.
