London jury acquits former Nigerian oil minister

A London jury acquitted former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources Diezani Alison-Madueke of all bribery charges on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, concluding a high-profile five-month trial. The verdict represents a significant setback for British prosecutors who had pursued the case for over a decade.

Alison-Madueke, who served as oil minister from 2010 to 2015 under then-President Goodluck Jonathan, was found not guilty of five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. Prosecutors had alleged she accepted a life of luxury in London, including 100,000 pounds in cash, private jet flights, chauffeur-driven cars, luxury goods, and school fees for her son from figures in the oil and gas industry seeking contracts in Nigeria. The former minister, who also briefly served as president of OPEC, denied all charges, testifying that she never took bribes and had no real influence over contract awards. Her defense argued the spending was reimbursed by the Nigerian state or paid for personally.

The jury deliberated for more than 46 hours before delivering its verdicts at Southwark Crown Court. Two co-defendants were also acquitted: oil industry executive...