Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, allegedly funded a luxurious London lifestyle, including over £2 million in spending at Harrods, with money from government contractors, a UK prosecutor told a court on Tuesday.
At Southwark Crown Court, prosecutor Alexandra Healy detailed how Alison-Madueke used a payment card belonging to Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko and his company, Tenka Limited, to purchase high-end accessories from the luxury department store.
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Healy informed the jury that Alison-Madueke “lived a lavish lifestyle in London” at the expense of individuals seeking to secure or maintain lucrative contracts with Nigerian state-owned companies. The prosecutor argued that she received high-end properties and a vast array of luxury goods from people who “clearly believed she would use her influence to favour them.”
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Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s oil minister from 2010 to 2015 and chaired OPEC in 2014, is on trial for five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, charges brought against her in 2023. The UK authorities allege these charges are linked to the awarding of oil and gas contracts during her tenure.
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She relocated to London after her political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, lost the 2015 presidential election. In Nigeria, she faces separate corruption charges and has had properties worth billions of naira forfeited to the state following court orders.
The UK trial, which began on Monday, is expected to last several weeks. If convicted under the UK Bribery Act, she could face up to 10 years in prison and an unlimited fine.
The court was told that from late 2011, Alison-Madueke had exclusive access to a UK residence in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, which featured a cinema room. Jurors were shown photographs of the property’s interior. She reportedly stayed there on several occasions and later spent six weeks at the house while working on a book.
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Her domestic staff, including a housekeeper, nanny, and gardener, were allegedly paid by the owners of energy companies holding contracts with the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
“This case is about bribery in relation to the oil and gas industry in Nigeria during the period 2011 to 2015,” Healy stated. “During that time those who were interested in the award and retention of lucrative oil and gas contracts… provided significant financial or other advantages to Alison-Madueke.”
Prosecutors added that Tenka Limited also paid for a £300,000 refurbishment of the house. Furthermore, the court heard that between May 2011 and January 2014, £500,000 in rent was paid for two flats in central London where Alison-Madueke and her mother resided, with records showing Tenka covered the cost.
Alison-Madueke has denied all charges against her. Her brother, Doye Agama, who appeared via video link for medical reasons, also pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.
