Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, on Monday appeared before the Southwark Crown Court in London for a preliminary hearing in her ongoing bribery case.
The matter was heard before Justice Thornton in Court 8, marking Alison-Madueke’s first court appearance ahead of her full trial, which is scheduled to commence on January 26, 2026.
The former minister was charged by United Kingdom authorities in August 2023 over allegations that she accepted a £100,000 bribe. According to the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA), Alison-Madueke is accused of receiving illicit payments in exchange for awarding multi-million-pound oil and gas contracts while she was in office.
Alison-Madueke served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015 during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. In 2014, she also made history by becoming the first female President of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).
In October 2023, a Westminster magistrates’ court granted her bail in the sum of £70,000, describing her as a potential flight risk. The court imposed strict bail conditions, including a nightly curfew from 11 pm to 6 am, continuous electronic monitoring, and the provision of a £70,000 surety before she was allowed to leave the court premises.
Beyond the criminal proceedings in the United Kingdom, Alison-Madueke continues to face several asset recovery cases linked to alleged corruption.
In January 2025, the Nigerian government and the United States entered into an agreement for the repatriation of $52.88 million recovered from the Galactica assets associated with the former minister.
United States authorities had alleged that Alison-Madueke and her associates used proceeds from unlawfully awarded oil contracts to acquire high-value properties in California and New York, as well as the Galactica Star, a 65-metre luxury superyacht.
Similarly, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has continued efforts to trace and recover assets linked to the former petroleum minister within the country.
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