Prosecutors Allege Alison-Madueke Blew £140,000 On Luxury Items In A Single Day At London Antiques Store

Proceedings resumed yesterday in London in the corruption and bribery trial of former Nigerian Petroleum Resources Minister Diezani Alison-Madueke. Courtroom jurors were presented with detailed evidence of the former minister’s alleged extravagant spending at a London luxury antiques store. Prosecutors told the court that Alison-Madueke spent as much as £140,000 in a single day on high-end furniture, bespoke lighting, and decorative art, allegedly purchased through intermediaries during her tenure in office.

The public gallery was filled with supporters from the Ijaw community who had travelled specifically to attend the trial. Alison-Madueke denies multiple charges relating to misconduct while overseeing Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Prosecutors maintain that she received cash and luxury benefits in exchange for influence over energy contracts.

Lawyers for Alison-Madueke, the first woman to serve as president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), denied the bribery allegations during their first formal response at Southwark Crown Court. The 65-year-old former minister, who was in the dock taking notes, faces multiple counts stemming from a year-long investigation into alleged offences that occurred between 2011 and 2015, when she was Nigeria’s oil minister and maintained a UK address.

The UK National Crime Agency (NCA) has accused Alison-Madueke of receiving bribes in Britain. Prosecutors have described her lifestyle as lavish, allegedly funded by individuals seeking lucrative contracts with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The defence, however, argued that “critical material” that could establish her innocence has been lost due to delays in bringing the charges, and that Alison-Madueke has been denied access to her home country to prepare her defence. Defence lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw also noted that Nigerian ministers are prohibited from maintaining bank accounts abroad and claimed that payments for her London purchases were reimbursed from Nigeria.

Alison-Madueke is accused of accepting financial and other benefits from individuals connected to Atlantic Energy and SPOG Petrochemical, both of which secured contracts with NNPC or its subsidiaries. Additional allegations include receiving £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, private jet flights, refurbishment work on London properties, school fees for her son, and luxury items from stores such as Harrods and Louis Vuitton.

Alison-Madueke, who served as OPEC president between 2014 and 2015, has faced multiple legal cases internationally, including in the United States. She has been on bail in Britain since her arrest in October 2015 and formally charged with bribery in 2023, which she denies. Two other individuals, her brother Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also being prosecuted in connection with the alleged bribery scheme. According to the prosecution, all three defendants had UK addresses at the time of the alleged offences.

The case has been described as significant for accountability within the global energy sector.