Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Monday appeared before the Southwark Crown Court in London for the preliminary hearing of her long-awaited bribery trial.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s oil minister between 2010 and 2015 and later became the first female president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, attended court as jury selection and other preliminary processes commenced ahead of the substantive trial.
The case, listed before Justice Thornton in Court 8, is scheduled to proceed to full trial on January 26, 2026, with proceedings expected to last between 10 and 12 weeks.
The 65-year-old former minister has been on bail since her arrest in London in October 2015. She has consistently denied the six counts of bribery levelled against her.
Alison-Madueke was formally charged in 2023 by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, NCA, over allegations that she accepted bribes while in office between 2011 and 2015.
According to the NCA, the former minister is accused of abusing her position by receiving financial and material benefits in exchange for awarding lucrative oil and gas contracts.
The indictment alleged that she benefitted from at least £100,000 in cash, as well as luxury chauffeur-driven vehicles, private jet flights, and access to several high-end properties in London.
Prosecutors further claimed that the alleged benefits included furniture, renovation works, domestic staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and designer items from brands such as Louis Vuitton.
Two other defendants, Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also standing trial on related bribery charges.
Agama appeared via video link, while Ayinde was physically present in court.
The trial is expected to resume on January 26, when opening arguments are set to begin.
