Former OPEC president and Nigeria’s ex-oil minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, appeared in a London court on Monday as preliminary proceedings began for her upcoming bribery trial.
The 65-year-old, who served as Nigeria’s oil minister from 2010 to 2015 and was the first female president of OPEC, has been on bail since her arrest in London in October 2015. She denies six charges related to bribery during her tenure.
The UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) formally charged Alison-Madueke in 2023, alleging she accepted bribes between 2011 and 2015. The indictment claims she received at least £100,000 ($134,000) in cash, private jet flights, chauffeur-driven cars, use of London properties, luxury gifts, and payment for private school fees.
Two co-defendants, Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also facing bribery charges linked to the case. The full trial is scheduled to start on January 26 and is expected to last 10–12 weeks.
