UK jury acquits former Nigerian oil minister and co-defendants after lengthy trial and over 46 hours of deliberation

Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been found not guilty of all bribery charges brought against her by a London court, bringing an end to a high-profile corruption trial that spanned years of investigation.

A jury at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday acquitted Alison-Madueke, 65, of five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. The verdict followed more than 46 hours of deliberations after a closely watched trial.

Alison-Madueke, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan from 2010 to 2015 and briefly led the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), had consistently denied the allegations. Prosecutors claimed she was lavished with luxury benefits in London by oil and gas executives seeking to secure lucrative contracts in Nigeria.

In her defence, the former minister maintained she neither accepted bribes nor wielded the level of influence over contract awards alleged by the prosecution.

The case, which marked one of the UK’s rare attempts to prosecute a senior foreign energy official for corruption, is seen as a significant setback for British authorities. Investigations into Alison-Madueke’s activities had been ongoing for more than a decade.

Also standing trial were oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, and Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, 69. Ayinde faced charges related to bribery and bribing a foreign public official, while Agama was accused of conspiring with his sister over payments allegedly made to his church.

Both men denied the charges and were acquitted alongside Alison-Madueke.