Former Nigerian oil minister and ex-OPEC president Diezani Alison-Madueke appeared in a London court on Monday as her long-awaited corruption trial formally got underway.
Preliminary proceedings, including technical matters and jury selection, began this week, with Alison-Madueke attending court in person. The full trial is scheduled to start on January 26 and is expected to last 10 to 12 weeks.
Alison-Madueke, 65, served as Nigeria’s minister of petroleum resources from 2010 to 2015. She was the first woman to hold the position and later became the first female president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
The former minister has been on bail since her arrest in London in October 2015.
In 2023, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) formally charged her with six counts of bribery relating to her time in office. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
According to the NCA, Alison-Madueke is accused of abusing her position by accepting bribes in exchange for awarding lucrative oil and gas contracts. Prosecutors allege the benefits she received between 2011 and 2015 included at least £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, private jet flights, and the use of several London properties.
The indictment also details additional benefits, including luxury furniture, property renovations, domestic staff, private school fees, and high-value designer goods from brands such as Louis Vuitton.
Two other defendants, Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also facing bribery charges linked to the case. Agama appeared in court via video link on Monday, while Ayinde was present in the dock.
The case marks one of the most high-profile corruption trials involving a former Nigerian government official to be heard in the United Kingdom.
