Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been acquitted of all bribery charges brought against her in the United Kingdom following a lengthy trial at a London court.
The former minister, who served in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan between 2010 and 2015, was cleared of six charges after a jury returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts following several days of deliberation.
British prosecutors had accused Alison-Madueke of receiving benefits from individuals in the oil and gas sector in exchange for favourable treatment and access to lucrative contracts during her time in office. She consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that she neither accepted bribes nor personally influenced the award of petroleum contracts.
The case, pursued by the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency, stemmed from an investigation that began more than a decade ago. Authorities alleged that the former minister enjoyed luxury benefits funded by industry figures seeking business advantages in Nigeria.
In addition to Alison-Madueke, oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother, Doye Agama, were also found not guilty of the charges brought against them. Ayinde had faced allegations linked to bribery and the bribing of a foreign public official, while Agama was accused of involvement in an alleged bribery conspiracy.
The verdict brings to a close one of the most closely watched corruption cases involving a former Nigerian public official in the United Kingdom.
Alison-Madueke was formally charged in 2023 and was later granted bail under strict conditions, including a curfew and electronic monitoring, while awaiting trial.
Despite the acquittal, efforts by authorities to recover assets previously linked to the former minister had continued in recent years. In 2025, Nigeria and the United States signed an agreement for the return of more than $52 million in assets connected to an earlier investigation, with the funds designated for development projects in Nigeria.
The outcome of the trial is expected to generate reactions in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom, where the case had attracted significant public and political attention.
