A former Nigerian oil minister has taken the stand to deny allegations of accepting bribes in exchange for government contracts, claiming that luxury accommodations and extravagant spending were legitimate official expenses.
Diezani Alison-Madueke, 65, testified at Southwark Crown Court on Monday that she "tried to push back on corruption" in Nigeria, a country she described as plagued by graft since colonial times. The prosecution alleges that several Nigerian businessmen funded her lavish lifestyle, including over £2 million in spending at Harrods and £4.6 million in home renovations across London and Buckinghamshire.
"I can state categorically that at no point did I ask for, take or receive a bribe of any sort from these persons and did not abuse my office," Alison-Madueke told the court. "I always sought to act impartially."
The former minister explained that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) reimbursed all expenses through a London-based service company established to handle logistics. "They paid for all my hotels, chauffeurs... to allow me to perform the job that I did," she said.
Prosecutors presented evidence of Alison-Madueke's access to multiple high-value properties, including a "grand" Buckinghamshire home, a £2.8 million residence in Marylebone, and properties overlooking Regent's Park. She defended these stays as necessary for official duties, including a Christmas 2011 visit when her ex-husband required medical treatment and a two-week stay while compiling a book praising the Nigerian president's support for women.
Regarding a £100,000 cash delivery by one of her chauffeurs, Alison-Madueke stated she was unaware of the transaction at the time and that the money had "nothing to do with her."
The court also heard about Alison-Madueke's professional background, including her rapid rise at Shell where she became the first senior female executive in its Nigerian operations. She described discomfort working for the company due to its treatment of her father, a tribal leader who had sued Shell over "apartheid practice in West Africa."
Alison-Madueke spoke of security concerns in Nigeria's "very patriarchal society," revealing she faced "dire threats of kidnap" and that family members had been seized. She made history in 2015 as the first female head of OPEC, the organization of petroleum-exporting countries.
Alison-Madueke denies five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. Also on trial are oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, who denies bribery charges, and Alison-Madueke's brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, who denies conspiracy to commit bribery.
The trial continues.