Former Nigerian petroleum minister and ex-OPEC president faces multiple bribery charges linked to luxury benefits allegedly received while in office.

The corruption trial of a former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources and the first female president of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Diezani Alison-Madueke, is set to begin in London today.

Alison-Madueke, 65, is facing five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery before a UK court.

Prosecutors allege that she accepted financial and other advantages from individuals connected to two international energy firms between 2011 and 2015. The alleged benefits include the use of luxury London properties, refurbishment works and staff costs at those properties, furniture, chauffeur-driven vehicles, a private jet flight to Nigeria, and £100,000 (about $137,000) in cash, among others.

All the charges relate to her tenure as Nigeria’s Minister for Petroleum Resources between 2010 and 2015 during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The former minister appeared in a London court last week for preliminary proceedings, including technical hearings and jury selection, ahead of the full trial, which is expected to last between 10 and 12 weeks.

Two other defendants, Doye Agama and Olatimbo Ayinde, are also being prosecuted on bribery-related charges connected to the case.

Alison-Madueke has been on bail since her first arrest in London in October 2015 and has consistently denied all allegations against her.

In 2023, the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) confirmed that she was formally charged with offences relating to the acceptance of bribes.

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