Alison-Madueke, the former Nigerian Minister of Petroleum Resources and ex-President of OPEC, made an appearance at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday, January 19, 2026, in preparation for her upcoming trial on bribery charges.
The 65-year-old faces six charges of accepting bribes during her tenure as Nigeria's oil minister from 2011 to 2015, allegations which she has firmly denied. Alison-Madueke has been on bail since her initial arrest in London in October 2015 and was formally charged by the UK's National Crime Agency in 2023.
Preliminary proceedings, including technical discussions and jury selection, commenced this week with Alison-Madueke present in court. The full trial is set to begin on January 26, 2026, and is anticipated to span 10 to 12 weeks.
Two co-defendants are also involved in the case: Doye Agama, who joined the hearing via video link, and Olatimbo Ayinde, who appeared in person.
This high-profile case underscores ongoing international efforts to combat corruption in the global oil industry and highlights the UK's role in prosecuting cross-border financial crimes.