London, United Kingdom (Running Africa) — Former Nigerian oil minister and former OPEC president Diezani Alison-Madueke has been acquitted of six bribery charges by a UK court, bringing a significant chapter in a long-running international corruption investigation to a close.

The verdict was delivered on June 17, 2026, at Southwark Crown Court following a five-month trial linked to allegations dating back to her tenure in Nigeria’s oil sector between 2011 and 2015.

The case stemmed from an investigation by the National Crime Agency, which accused Alison-Madueke of accepting benefits from individuals connected to energy companies that secured contracts with Nigeria’s state-owned oil corporation. Prosecutors also alleged that those benefits helped finance a lavish lifestyle that included luxury travel and high-value properties.

Throughout the proceedings, Alison-Madueke denied all allegations.

Her defence team argued that significant delays in bringing the case to trial resulted in the loss of crucial evidence that could have supported her defence. Lawyers also told the court that she was unable to access key documents held in Nigeria and had been without her passport since her arrest in 2015, complicating her ability to prepare her case.

The acquittal marks a major development in one of the most closely watched legal cases connected to Nigeria’s oil industry, a sector that has long faced scrutiny over governance, transparency, and corruption allegations.

While the UK case has concluded with her acquittal on the charges brought before the court, Alison-Madueke has previously faced other legal and regulatory challenges in multiple jurisdictions, including the United States.

The outcome is likely to reignite debate over accountability in Nigeria’s energy sector and the challenges of prosecuting complex international corruption cases that span multiple countries and years of investigation.