A London court has acquitted former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Alison-Madueke, of all six bribery charges brought against her by UK authorities.

The Southwark Crown Court cleared Alison-Madueke on Wednesday after a jury deliberated for more than 46 hours.

During the trial, a written statement from former President Goodluck Jonathan was presented in court. Jonathan stated that it was not unusual for third parties to cover expenses for ministers on official overseas assignments and confirmed that he had approved Alison-Madueke’s use of private jets for some foreign trips.

The trial, which began in January 2026, stemmed from charges filed by the UK government in August 2023 over allegations that the former minister accepted bribes in exchange for awarding lucrative oil and gas contracts while in office.

Prosecutors alleged that Alison-Madueke received luxury goods, high-end properties and other benefits from industry figures seeking favourable treatment in Nigeria’s oil sector. They also claimed Nigerian businessman Kolawole Aluko spent more than £2 million on luxury items for her and provided accommodation for her and her family.

In her defence, Alison-Madueke’s legal team argued that oil contract approvals involved multiple agencies and that she had limited authority over the process, maintaining that key operational decisions rested largely with the leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The jury ultimately found her not guilty on all counts.