By Wellington Jopelo
Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, is facing fresh scrutiny in the United Kingdom after prosecutors alleged that she spent more than N4 billion at a luxury department store in London, with the funds allegedly provided by oil executives seeking favourable treatment in Nigeria’s oil sector.
According to prosecutors, the former minister enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle in the UK, marked by high-end shopping sprees, luxury accommodation and fully funded domestic services, all allegedly bankrolled by businessmen with vested interests in Nigerian oil contracts. The spending, prosecutors told the court, formed part of a wider pattern of inducements linked to her powerful position.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister between 2010 and 2015 and later became the first female president of OPEC, is standing trial on five counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. She has pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
In court proceedings, prosecutors detailed how more than £2 million was spent at a single luxury London store, often through a personal shopping service typically reserved for elite clients. The payments were allegedly made using cards and accounts connected to Nigerian oil businessmen and their companies.
Beyond shopping, the court heard that the former minister’s UK living expenses were allegedly covered by the same benefactors, including rent for upscale properties, renovation costs, and the salaries of domestic staff such as housekeepers, nannies, gardeners and cleaners.
Prosecutors also alleged that properties worth several million pounds were placed at her disposal, with bills, maintenance and refurbishment costs settled by individuals who were actively involved in securing or maintaining oil exploration and production deals in Nigeria.
While the prosecution acknowledged that it may be difficult to link specific oil contracts directly to individual payments, it argued that the scale, consistency and nature of the benefits pointed to a corrupt relationship rooted in her influence over Nigeria’s oil industry.
The case also involves other defendants, including oil executives and associates, who are accused of facilitating or benefiting from the alleged bribery scheme. All have denied wrongdoing.
Alison-Madueke has remained on bail since her arrest and continues to reject the allegations, maintaining that the charges against her are unfounded and politically motivated.
The trial has once again cast a spotlight on allegations of high-level corruption within Nigeria’s oil sector, raising broader questions about accountability, governance and the long-term impact of alleged abuse of public office on the country’s most vital industry.