28.1.2026
The lavish lifestyle of former Nigeria’ s minister of petroleum Dieziani Alison-Madueke has been exposed during a Southwark Crown Court hearing in London on Wednesday.
Her “life of luxury” fueled by corruption during her tenure between April 2010-May 2015 in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan was marked by extravagant spending, shopping sprees that lasted for hours with a large entourage and living in expensive UK properties the court has heard.
Alison-Madueke, 65, was given £100,000 in cash, had access to a private jet and chauffeur-driven car, and had the use of staff including a housekeeper, nanny, gardener and window cleaner when staying in the UK.
Jurors were shown photographs inside a “grand” property called The Falls in Gerrard’s Cross, which was bought in 2010 by the owner of a company called Atlantic Energy, Nigerian businessman Olajide Omokore.
From late 2011, Alison-Madueke allegedly had exclusive use of the house, which has a cinema room, staying there three or four times over two years.
Prosecutors say she stayed in other properties, including a £2.8 million home in Marylebone, central London and multimillion-pound homes overlooking Regent’s Park, and allegedly benefited from renovations valued at £4.6 million.
Those accused of bribing Alison-Madueke are also accused of bankrolling lavish shopping sprees at high-end retailers, with bills of more than £2 million at Harrods, £370,740 at Marylebone antiques dealer Vincenzo Caffarella, and £117,224.33 with Mayfair retailer of fine china, silverware and glass, Thomas Goode.
Alison-Madueke denies five counts of accepting bribes and a charge of conspiracy to commit bribery.
Olatimbo Ayinde, 54, an owner of Nigerian oil companies, denies two charges of bribery, while Alison-Madueke’s brother, former archbishop Doye Agama, 69, denies conspiracy to commit bribery.
The trial is expected to hear allegations of £1 million in payments to Agama’s church, which were also said to be aimed at influencing Alison-Madueke.