Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources and ex-OPEC President, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been cleared of all bribery charges brought against her in the United Kingdom.
The verdict was delivered at Southwark Crown Court in London after a trial that lasted five months.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s oil minister between 2010 and 2015, had faced six charges, including multiple counts of accepting bribes and conspiracy to commit bribery.
However, her legal team confirmed that the court found her not guilty on all counts.
“Diezani Alison-Madueke was cleared of six charges of bribery at Southwark Crown Court on 17 June 2026, after a five-month trial,” her lawyer, Jonathan Laidlaw, said in a statement.
The case was prosecuted by the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) following a lengthy investigation into allegations linked to her tenure as Nigeria’s petroleum minister.
Prosecutors had alleged that Alison-Madueke received financial benefits and luxury privileges from individuals connected to energy firms that secured contracts with Nigeria’s state-owned oil corporation.
The allegations included claims of luxury travel, chauffeur-driven vehicles, and expenses linked to properties in London.
Throughout the trial, Alison-Madueke denied any wrongdoing.
Her defence team argued that significant records that could have supported her case were no longer available due to delays in bringing the charges.
“There was a gross delay in the charges being brought,” Laidlaw told the court during the proceedings.
Alison-Madueke made history as the first female President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), serving between 2014 and 2015.
Although she has faced legal scrutiny in several countries over the years, the latest ruling marks a major victory for the former minister after more than a decade of investigations and legal battles.
She had remained on bail in the UK since her arrest in October 2015 and was formally charged in 2023.
Source: AFP / Southwark Crown Court, United Kingdom.
