Image: VOA Afrique

Former Nigerian Oil Minister Diezani Denies Taking Bribes in London Court

13 April, 2026.Africa.13 sources

Key Takeaways

Diezani Alison-Madueke denies soliciting or receiving bribes in London court.
Allegations involve luxury UK stays and lavish spending for contracts.
Seizures and restitution orders total about $153 million.

Diezani's Defense

Diezani Alison-Madueke categorically denied soliciting or receiving bribes during her tenure from 2010 to 2015.

“In an unprecedented financial scandal on the African continent, former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke is accused of orchestrating the embezzlement of $28 billion from the public treasury in just four years in office”

237online

She insisted she did not abuse her office and had always acted in good faith while trying to reform Nigeria's notoriously corrupt oil sector.

237online

All expenses for her UK accommodation, hotels, chauffeurs, and related logistics were official, properly reimbursed by the NNPC.

A service company was established in London to handle logistics because NNPC's financial systems were in a mess.

They paid for all my hotels and chauffeurs to allow me to perform the job that I did.

She and her extended family spent five days over Christmas 2011 at a house in Gerrards Cross because her ex-husband required hospital treatment.

Luxury Spending and Prosecution

Prosecutors allege Nigerian businessmen funded a series of luxury expenses including more than £2 million spent at Harrods.

They also claim she received £100,000 in cash while she was minister.

BBC

She is accused of shopping sprees lasting hours.

It is alleged the spending was paid for by others to gain better access to government contracts.

Alison-Madueke said she was not aware of the £100,000 cash delivery.

She insisted that decisions on contracts came from way below before she signed off.

Background and Security Threats

Alison-Madueke became the first female senior executive at Shell Nigeria.

“A former oil minister in Nigeria accused of being treated to luxury home stays in Bucks in exchange for government contracts has denied taking bribes, insisting to a London court: “I did not abuse my office”