The verdict was delivered on Wednesday at London's Southwark Crown Court, where a jury found the 65-year-old former minister not guilty on all six counts after more than 46 hours of deliberations.
Alison-Madueke, who served as Nigeria’s petroleum minister from 2010 to 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan, had faced five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery. Throughout the proceedings, she consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecutors alleged that the former minister enjoyed “a life of luxury” funded by oil and gas industry figures who were allegedly seeking favourable treatment and access to lucrative contracts in Nigeria’s petroleum sector. The case focused on claims that benefits provided to Alison-Madueke included lavish hospitality and other high-value advantages.
However, the former OPEC president maintained that she never accepted bribes and argued that she did not possess the authority prosecutors claimed she wielded over the awarding of government contracts.
Speaking during the trial, Alison-Madueke insisted that she had no improper influence over contract decisions and rejected allegations that she exchanged official favours for personal benefits.
The jury ultimately sided with the defence, acquitting her of all charges.
The ruling represents a significant setback for British authorities, whose investigation into allegations involving Alison-Madueke began more than ten years ago. The case had been closely watched in both Nigeria and the United Kingdom because of its implications for international anti-corruption efforts and accountability in the global energy sector.
Also cleared in the case was oil industry executive Olatimbo Ayinde, 54. Ayinde had been charged with one count of bribery involving Alison-Madueke and a separate count of bribing a foreign public official. He denied both allegations and was found not guilty by the jury.
In addition, Alison-Madueke’s brother, Doye Agama, 69, was acquitted of a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery linked to payments allegedly made to his church. Agama had also denied the accusation throughout the trial.
The acquittals bring an end to one of the most prominent corruption cases involving a former Nigerian government official to be heard in a British court. While the verdict clears Alison-Madueke and her co-defendants of criminal liability in this case, the proceedings have once again highlighted longstanding concerns about governance, transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
After considering the evidence presented by both the prosecution and defence, the jury returned unanimous not-guilty verdicts for Alison-Madueke, Ayinde and Agama, effectively closing a chapter in a legal battle that has attracted international attention for years.