A UK court has heard that former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Diezani Alison-Madueke spent more than £2 million at luxury London store Harrods on accessories allegedly paid for with funds linked to a government contractor.
Prosecutors disclosed the claim on Tuesday at Southwark Crown Court, where Alison-Madueke is currently standing trial over corruption allegations.
According to Reuters, prosecutors told jurors that the purchases were made using a payment card belonging to Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko, as well as a debit card linked to his company, Tenka Limited.
Addressing the court, prosecutor Alexandra Healy said Alison-Madueke lived in London using funds provided by individuals who were seeking to secure or retain contracts with Nigeria’s state-owned oil companies.
She told jurors that the former oil minister received properties, luxury goods and other benefits from people who believed she would use her position to advance their business interests.
Alison-Madueke was charged in 2023 with five counts of accepting bribes and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, with UK authorities saying the offences relate to the award of oil and gas contracts during her time in office.
She served as Nigeria’s oil minister between 2010 and 2015 and was president of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from 2014 to 2015. She relocated to London after the Peoples Democratic Party lost the 2015 general election.
Prosecutors said that from late 2011, Alison-Madueke had sole access to a luxury property in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, known as The Falls. Jurors were shown photographs of the house, where she reportedly stayed repeatedly over two years and later spent six weeks while working on a book.
The court heard that domestic staff at the property — including a housekeeper, nanny, gardener and window cleaner — were paid by owners of energy companies with contracts from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Tenka Limited allegedly paid £300,000 for refurbishment work on the property.
Prosecutors further alleged that between May 2011 and January 2014, £500,000 was paid in rent for two flats in central London where Alison-Madueke lived with her mother, with company records showing the payments were made by Tenka Limited.
Healy also told the court that Aluko provided additional benefits, including a £3.25 million property outside London, as well as covering bills, staffing costs and refurbishments.
Alison-Madueke is standing trial alongside oil executive Olatimbo Ayinde, who faces bribery charges linked to her and to a former NNPC managing director, Emmanuel Kachikwu. Ayinde has denied all allegations.
Her brother, Doye Agama, is also charged with conspiracy to commit bribery and appeared via video link for medical reasons. Both have pleaded not guilty.
Prosecutors additionally alleged that Alison-Madueke benefited from the use of a chauffeur-driven car, private jet flights and the payment of her son’s school fees by businessman Benedict Peters, who is named in the indictment but is not on trial.
Alison-Madueke has denied all charges. Her UK trial began on Monday and is expected to last several weeks. Under the UK Bribery Act, a conviction carries a possible prison sentence of up to 10 years and an unlimited fine.
She also faces unresolved corruption cases in Nigeria and has previously forfeited properties worth billions of naira following court orders.
