Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on January 29, 2026
2 min readLast updated: January 29, 2026
Former Nigerian oil minister Alison-Madueke is on trial in London, accused of bribery. Her lawyer claims she was merely a 'rubber stamp' in contract decisions.
By Sam Tobin and Robert Harvey
LONDON, Jan 29 (Reuters) - Former Nigerian oil minister Diezani Alison-Madueke had no real influence over the awarding of lucrative government contracts and was merely a "rubber stamp" for official recommendations, her lawyer said on Thursday at her London corruption trial.
Alison-Madueke, minister for petroleum resources between 2010 and 2015 under then-president Goodluck Jonathan, has pleaded not guilty to five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Prosecutors say Alison-Madueke "enjoyed a life of luxury" in London, with oil and gas industry figures having provided the use of high-end properties and given her lavish gifts to try and influence the awarding of lucrative contracts.
But her lawyer Jonathan Laidlaw told jurors at London's Southwark Crown Court that purchases were made on Alison-Madueke's behalf "because Nigerian ministers are forbidden from having bank accounts abroad".
He also said Alison-Madueke, 65, disputes the extent to which properties were provided for her use and the amounts of goods she received, but that "all that was spent on her personally, in one way or another, was reimbursed".
Alison-Madueke, who was also briefly president of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, is standing trial alongside her brother Doye Agama, 69, who has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery relating to his church.
Their co-defendant Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, has pleaded not guilty to one count of bribing Alison-Madueke between 2012 and 2014 and one count of bribery of a foreign public official.
(Reporting by Sam Tobin and Robert Harvey; Editing by Toby Chopra)
Bribery is the act of giving or receiving something of value to influence the actions of an official or other person in charge of a public or legal duty.
Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power for private gain, often involving bribery, fraud, or other unethical practices.
A conspiracy to commit bribery involves two or more individuals planning to engage in bribery, which is illegal and punishable by law.
A defense attorney represents a defendant in a legal proceeding, advocating for their rights and presenting evidence to support their case.
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