The Westminster Magistrates Court in the United Kingdom has adjourned the hearing on the alleged £100,000 bribery case involving Nigeria’s former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, to November 2025.
News About Nigeria reported that Alison-Madueke appeared before the Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday, October 2, 2023, facing bribery charges totalling £100,000, following an investigation by the National Crime Agency.
District Judge Michael Snow granted her bail but imposed additional conditions, considering her a flight risk.
The 63-year-old, who also served as the president of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), held a prominent position in the Nigerian government from 2010 to 2015.
The NCA suspects her of accepting bribes during her tenure as Minister for Petroleum Resources in exchange for awarding multimillion-pound oil and gas contracts.
Assets worth millions of pounds allegedly connected to these offences have been frozen as part of the ongoing investigation.
In March of this year, the NCA provided evidence to the US Department of Justice, leading to the recovery of $53.1 million in assets linked to Alison-Madueke’s alleged corruption.
It is alleged that she benefited from at least £100,000 in cash, chauffeur-driven cars, flights on private jets, luxury holidays for her family, and the use of multiple London properties.
Alison-Madueke has held three significant positions in the Nigerian federal government. She was appointed Transportation Minister in July 2007. On 23 December 2008, she became the Minister of Mines and Steel Development.
When Vice-President; Goodluck Jonathan became acting President in February 2010, he dissolved the cabinet on 17 March 2010, and swore in a new cabinet on 6 April 2010 with Alison-Madueke as Minister for Petroleum Resources.
Diezani left office on June 1, 2015, as part of the presidential transition to Jonathan’s successor. She then went to work for the Commonwealth of Dominica as a Trade and Investment Commissioner.
