Former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, has been acquitted of all six corruption-related charges brought against her by prosecutors in the United Kingdom, bringing to a close one of the most high-profile legal battles involving a former Nigerian public official.
The verdict was delivered today (Wednesday June 17, 2026) by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London after lengthy deliberations that lasted more than 46 hours.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s Minister of Petroleum Resources from 2010 to 2015 under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, had faced five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery under the UK’s Bribery Act.
The prosecution alleged that the former minister received a range of luxury benefits from businessmen seeking favourable treatment in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Among the alleged benefits were expensive properties, private jet travel, luxury hotel accommodations, chauffeur-driven vehicles, and other high-value gifts.
According to prosecutors, the benefits were provided in exchange for influence over lucrative oil contracts and business opportunities in Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
However, throughout the trial, Alison-Madueke consistently denied all allegations, maintaining that she neither solicited nor accepted bribes. Her defence team argued that the prosecution had failed to establish any direct link between the gifts and official decisions allegedly made by the former minister.
The defence further contended that there was insufficient evidence to prove that Alison-Madueke exercised improper influence over the award of oil contracts or that any benefits she received constituted criminal conduct under British law.
Following months of proceedings, the jury unanimously returned not-guilty verdicts on all six counts, effectively clearing the former minister of the corruption allegations.
Also acquitted were her co-defendants, oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde and her brother, Doye Agama, who had faced related charges during the trial.
Reacting to the judgment, members of Alison-Madueke’s legal team described the verdict as a vindication after years of investigations, legal scrutiny, and public controversy.
The former minister reportedly expressed gratitude to the jury for what she described as a fair consideration of the evidence presented during the trial.
The case attracted significant international attention, particularly in Nigeria, where Alison-Madueke had long been associated with multiple corruption investigations since leaving office in 2015.
Her tenure as petroleum minister coincided with a period in which Nigeria remained one of Africa’s largest oil producers, making her one of the most influential figures in the country’s energy sector.
The acquittal marks a major development in the years-long legal proceedings against the former minister and is likely to generate fresh debate regarding corruption allegations, international asset recovery efforts, and accountability for public officials.
Legal analysts say the judgment represents the conclusion of the UK criminal proceedings against Alison-Madueke, although attention may now turn to any remaining civil, regulatory, or related matters connected to previous investigations.
With the jury’s decision, Alison-Madueke leaves the courtroom cleared of all criminal liability in the case, ending a chapter that has spanned more than a decade of investigations and legal challenges.
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