Former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, appeared before the Southwark Crown Court in London for a preliminary hearing on bribery charges.
She was accused by UK’s National Crime Agency of accepting bribes between 2011 and 2015, including £100,000 in cash, luxury cars, private jet flights, and London properties.
Alison-Madueke, 65, has denied six charges and has been on bail since her 2015 arrest.
Her full trial starts January 26, 2026, and is expected to last 10-12 weeks.
Preliminary proceedings, including technical matters and jury selection, began this week, with Alison-Madueke in attendance.
“We suspect Diezani Alison-Madueke abused her power in Nigeria and accepted financial rewards for awarding multi-million-pound contracts,” the NCA said at the time.
The charges also detailed financial rewards including furniture, renovation work, and staff for the properties, payment of private school fees, and gifts from top designer shops such as Louis Vuitton.
Two others are also being prosecuted on bribery charges linked to the case: Doye Agama, who appeared in court via video link on Monday, and Olatimbo Ayinde, who was present in the dock.