Ex-Nigerian oil minister denies taking bribes

A former Nigerian oil minister, accused of receiving opulent accommodations and extravagant expenditures in the UK in exchange for government contracts, has rejected allegations of soliciting or accepting bribes. Diezani Alison-Madueke, 65, testified in Southwark Crown Court on Monday, stating she aimed to combat corruption in a nation long associated with it, dating back to its colonial era.

Several Nigerian businessmen are claimed to have funded her lavish spending, including over £2 million at Harrods and £4.6 million on home renovations in London and Buckinghamshire. However, Alison-Madueke asserted that all expenses incurred during her official duties were reimbursed by the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), citing a London-based service firm to manage logistics due to the company’s financial instability.

“I can state categorically that at no point did I ask for, take or receive a bribe of any sort from these persons and did not abuse my office,” Alison-Madueke declared. “I always sought to act impartially.”

The prosecution argues that she was provided with multiple high-value properties, including a £2.8 million home in Marylebone and residences near Regent’s Park, which were allegedly used for her benefit. She explained that a Christmas 2011 stay at a Gerrards Cross property was arranged for her ex-husband’s medical care and that she was not involved in the booking process.

Alison-Madueke also mentioned a second visit lasting two weeks, during which she and 10 to 12 officials collaborated on a book celebrating the Nigerian president’s support for women. She emphasized that this initiative was her own effort to highlight the leader’s contributions. Regarding the properties, she claimed one was entirely renovated and unlivable when she first saw it, while another was used for discreet meetings.

The court previously learned that she and her mother resided in St John’s Wood apartments, with rent covered by Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko. She defended this arrangement as more cost-effective than paying for expensive hotel suites, such as those at the Savoy or Dorchester, which cost £2,000 per night.

Alison-Madueke recounted her time at Shell, where she rose to become the first senior female executive in the Nigerian branch, despite personal reservations about the company’s treatment of her father. He had previously worked as a senior employee and sued Shell for “apartheid practices” in the Niger Delta. She criticized the company’s handling of oil spills in the region, arguing it failed to adequately address environmental damage.

Concerns about her safety were also raised, with Alison-Madueke noting that Nigeria’s patriarchal culture posed risks for a woman in a leadership role. She stated she faced severe threats of kidnapping and that family members were captured. In 2015, she was elected the first female head of OPEC, a group of oil-exporting nations that determines global crude oil production levels.

Alison-Madueke denies five counts of accepting bribes and one charge of conspiracy to commit bribery. Another defendant, oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, also faces charges of bribery and influencing a foreign official. Her brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, is likewise contesting charges in the case.